In Conversation With … Prof Lesley Anderson, Chair in Health Data Science, Aberdeen Centre for Health Data Science and Chief Investigator for the MOSAICC Epidemiology Study, who talks to Nona about how the study started and how she became involved. Lesley tells Nona that the study started as part of her study portfolio when working at the National Cancer Institute in the US looking at different blood conditions and trying to identify their causes and identified that MPNs (myeloproliferative neoplasms) had a different profile to other blood conditions, and when she returned to the UK she spoke to Prof Mary Frances McMullin, Professor of Haematology in Belfast and Dr Andrew Duncombe, in Southampton, who were equally interested in finding out what might lead to the development of MPNs.
This led to them setting up the MOSAICC Epidemiology pilot study in centres across the UK, the results of the pilot study found some associations with potential links to causes, including lifestyle and occupational factors. There were eight publications in total of results from the pilot study which were presented at the annual meetings of the ASH (American Society of Hematology), the European Haematology Society and the British Society for Haematology, and were also made available to the public via links on the MPN Voice website. Lesley then went on to tell Nona where we are now with the MOSAICC study, with 14 study sites now open in the UK, and plans to open 5 more. The team are also hoping to open study sites in Limerick and Dublin and have just confirmed a study site in Cork is now open and recruiting. Lesley said the long-term aim of the MOSAICC study is to identify factors that are linked to the development of MPNs, with a number of advantages in being able to prevent people getting them in the future and also identifying new treatments. The first results will be available by September 2024. Lesley then goes on to explain the recruitment process for taking part in the study.
You can find more information about MOSAICC and the links to the pilot study publications here.
Click here to view the vlogcast.
We hope that you enjoyed this conversation, please send feedback and any questions to info@mpnvoice.org.uk. If you have any suggestions for future conversations please let us know.
We would like to thank Prof Anderson for taking part in this conversation with Nona.
Donate to MPN Voice – MPN Voice would not exist without donations, fundraising and grants, we are kindly asking everyone to be as generous as they can to help us support our ongoing projects supporting the MPN patient and healthcare communities. We would be very grateful for your support with a donation to MPN Voice which you can make via the MPN Voice JustGiving page, thank you.
