My lab’s vision for the next five years is to apply what we have learned to develop molecules that can alter FA protein behavior. These could be used to treat cancer or alter gene editing outcomes.
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Kevin Haworth
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow | PhD
Dr. Haworth is a post-doctoral fellow in the Kiem Lab in Seattle. The Kiem Lab studies cell and gene therapy with a particular interested in the biology of blood and marrow stem cells and the development and use of novel genome editing technologies. The overall goal is to develop better stem cell transplant and cell and gene therapy treatments for patients with genetic and infectious diseases and cancer.
Recent studies from the Kiem lab have examined the role of endothelial cells in iPSC-derived HSC specification and expansion. We have also used endothelial cell support to expand adult marrow HSCs and used novel small molecules for expansion. We have demonstrated successful ex vivo expansion of human cord blood cells when cultured in the presence of specific small molecules. We also have 4 active clinical gene therapy studies. One study aims at treating patients with glioblastoma and we have now treated 7 patients and have shown in our most recent manuscript improved survival in high-risk patients with glioblastoma. One clinical study involves the correction of the genetic defect in blood and marrow stem cells from patients with Fanconi anemia and we have now treated 2 patients. Two clinical studies involve gene therapy approaches for patients with HIV and lymphoma undergoing either primary chemotherapy or requiring an autologous HSC transplantation. The Kiem lab is also part of multiple collaborations to improve the efficiency by which HSCs can be cultured and transduced, while closely monitoring the gene modified clones through cutting-edge high-throughput retroviral integration site analysis.
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In a world where every day presents new challenges, my 11-year-old son, Omar, from Oman, stands out for his resilience and eagerness to raise awareness about Fanconi anemia. Diagnosed at just five years old, we truly believe his journey is a testament to hope and the strength of the human spirit.
That's why we're thrilled to announce the launch of the Fanconi Cancer Foundation-AACR NextGen Grant for Transformative Cancer Research, a flagship funding opportunity in partnership with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).