The Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has announced that Dr. Robert Levy, a professor and researcher at the center, is the senior author of the cover story in the latest issue of Blood Journal. The article presents research on improving outcomes for patients who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT), a procedure used to treat blood cancers and other serious diseases.
Dr. Levy’s research focuses on graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a complication of aHSCT where transplanted immune cells attack the patient’s tissues. GVHD is usually managed with immunosuppressive drugs, which can cause side effects and increase infection risk. The new protocol developed by Dr. Levy and his team, with collaborators from several institutions, aims to expand the patient’s own regulatory T cells (Tregs) before transplantation.
The approach uses a TL1A-Ig fusion protein and low-dose IL-2 to stimulate Treg expansion in the body. This targets specific receptors to increase the number and activity of these cells. Preclinical studies found that this method improved survival rates, reduced GVHD severity, and supported tissue health and gut microbiome balance. The protocol also maintained the body’s ability to target cancer cells, preserving the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect…