We are delighted to welcome the Blood Cancer Drivers & Therapeutics Laboratory to ONJCRI, led by Dr Andrew Guirguis. This new research group will be instrumental in transforming cutting-edge scientific discoveries into real-world solutions for patients with blood cancers.
Bridging Research and Patient Care
As both a clinician-scientist and haematologist, Dr Guirguis offers a unique perspective that seamlessly connects scientific discovery with patient care. By treating patients at Austin Health while leading research at ONJCRI, he is uniquely positioned to identify urgent clinical challenges and translate them into targeted, research-driven solutions.
“I am excited to join a community of dedicated individuals working towards a shared goal: translating research into meaningful clinical outcomes for patients,” Dr Guirguis said. “ONJCRI’s collaborative environment allows us to approach blood cancer from multiple angles, strengthening our ability to make a real impact.”
A Focus on Prevention: Stopping Blood Cancer Before It Starts
Dr Guirguis’ research focuses on pre-leukaemic syndromes, conditions that often precede aggressive blood cancers, including:
- Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML)
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
- Clonal haematopoiesis
- Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)
These disorders can lead to abnormal bone marrow function for months or even years before progressing to full-blown leukaemia, often with devastating consequences. His mission is clear: intervene early and stop the disease before it reaches its most aggressive form.
Using state-of-the-art technologies – including genetic barcoding, CRISPR-based gene editing, and high-throughput drug screening – his team will investigate both cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment to uncover the key drivers of disease progression.
“Understanding why blood cancers evolve is key to stopping them in their tracks,” Dr Guirguis explains. “Instead of waiting for secondary leukaemia to develop and treating it reactively, we want to prevent it altogether.”
From Discovery to Personal Impact
The Blood Cancer Drivers & Therapeutics Laboratory is committed to ensuring that scientific discoveries lead to tangible benefits for patients. Their work will focus on:
- Developing pre-clinical models that closely mimic human disease, helping researchers understand how blood cancers evolve.
- Identifying early intervention strategies to slow or stop disease progression.
- Informing clinical trials design and future treatments based on real-world patient needs.
“The bi-directional exchange between research and patient care is essential,” Dr Guirguis says. “It helps us pinpoint the most urgent clinical questions and ensures our findings translate into real solutions.”
A Deeply Personal Mission
For Dr Guirguis, this research is more than a professional pursuit. It’s a personal mission. Having lost family members to cancer, he knows firsthand the urgency of finding better solutions.
“Early in my career, I spoke with a patient’s daughter after her father was diagnosed with MDS. She asked about alternative options beyond regular blood transfusions, and I had no alternative options to offer her,” he reflects. “That feeling of helplessness has stayed with me. Cancer research is my way of turning that helplessness into action. The discoveries we make may seem incremental, but for individual patients, they can be life changing.”
We warmly welcome Dr Guirguis and his team to ONJCRI. Their expertise, passion, and dedication will be pivotal in shaping the future of blood cancer research and improving patient outcomes.