Researchers are our leaders in the battle with leukaemia. Therefore, the focus of the Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund (KKLF) has always been to support first-class scientific research and particularly outstanding young scientists in the formative stages of their careers. Many KKLF Fellows have achieved national and international status and established groundbreaking research groups. Their work has made highly significant contributions to our understanding of leukaemia and its treatments, and has helped transform lives of those affected by this disease.
Jyoti Nangalia was a Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund Junior Clinical Fellow at the University of Cambridge between 2011 and 2016. Her PhD focused on analysing patient data with Myeloproliferative neoplasms (a group of rare blood cancers). This research uncovered a new link between a certain variety of the disease and a specific gene mutation. It was a significant finding and has meant that testing for these mutations is now a routine part of diagnosis in clinics internationally. This was an extraordinary achievement for such a young scientist.
Dr Nangalia’s Fellowship formed an important part of her early career and helped launch her towards further achievements. Towards the end of the Fellowship, she was awarded significant funding from Cancer Research UK, plus a European Haematology Association Fellowship. She now heads up a group at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and is also based at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute – a world-leading centre for stem cell research – while maintaining her haematology clinical practice.
Many other KKLF Fellows have made similar achievements. Alongside supporting these individuals, KKLF has also supported developments in the understanding of leukaemia and the other haematological malignancies via its project grants, which have gone to scientists working on specific research projects.
Collectively, this research contributes to a future where leukaemia is better understood and treated, with huge impact on patients’ lives.
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