Damon Runyon Researchers

Many cancer diagnostic and treatment strategies use markers on the cell surface to find and kill cancer cells in a sea of healthy tissue. Dr. Flynn's research aims to expand our knowledge of what molecules are found on the surface of cancer cells. He will focus on acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as there is a major unmet clinical need for new curative treatments. Specifically, he aims to define RNA as a new cell surface molecule that could have unique structures on AML cells. With this knowledge he will develop antibodies to selectively detect cancer cells and enable tumor killing. Because tumors from other parts the body also express RNA on their surface, this strategy is expected to be broadly applicable to other cancer types.