SCIENTISTS in the North-East will be placing the engine room of the human body's cells, the mitochondria, under the microscope in groundbreaking research into blood cancers.
Experts at Newcastle University believe the DNA found there will contain essential information relating to the presence and development of leukaemia and lymphoma.
The research programme, led by Professor Doug Turnbull, is one of two projects at the university backed with £135,000 from the Leukaemia Research Fund.
Professor Turnbull's team is investigating a particular type of genetic abnormality which is believed to be an important marker of leukaemia and related diseases.
Prof Turnbull said: "Research has shown that certain abnormalities with these mitochondrial DNA are associated with some solid cancers."
Once the team has established whether those abnormalities are representative of leukaemia, it will look at the role of the DNA in development of blood cancers.
The second award is to a project led by Dr Peter Middleton, focusing on predicting the likely success of a bone marrow transplant.
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