Our Mission
Mutations found in childhood leukemia cells at diagnosis can be found in blood samples taken at birth. We call this “backtracking”. With funding from the National Institutes of Health we are conducting the largest, most comprehensive backtracking study of childhood leukemia ever. ReCord will collect leukemia samples and stored cord blood for several hundred children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). ReCord will then find out which leukemia mutations start before birth and if leukemia mutations found in cord blood are related to known risk factors for childhood leukemia.
Who is conducting ReCord?
The study is being led by Dr. Logan Spector from the University of Minnesota and Dr. Adam de Smith from the University of Southern California. Other study team members are from the University of Minnesota, University of Southern California and University of Oxford, United Kingdom. Analysis of samples and data will take place at all three institutions.
Who may participate in ReCord?
Any child with ALL or AML who:
- Was diagnosed at up to 25 years of age
- Has stored umbilical cord blood and is willing to release it
- Has stored leukemia cell sample from diagnosis and is willing to release it
- Has the ability to understand English
If your child is registered with the Children’s Oncology Group’s Project:EveryChild and indicated that their cord blood was stored at birth, we should be contacting you. If your child’s cord blood was stored at birth but your child is not registered with Project:EveryChild, or if you didn’t disclose stored cord blood to Project:EveryChild, please contact us at record.umn.edu or call 612-625-3910 to join ReCord.
What is involved?
Participants will be asked to:
- Consent to release leukemia cell sample and umbilical cord blood
- Release newborn dried blood spots if your state or province stores them
- Authorize whole genome sequencing analysis of the samples
- Complete a questionnaire about pregnancy and early life of your child
- Release medical records from pregnancy and birth
We will compensate participants $100 for their time spent on the study.