Sonia Cerquozzi

• Myeloid Biobank

I began as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Hematology at the University of Calgary in January 2017. I currently treat patients with myeloid disorders ranging from acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome and MPNs. 

In 2018, I participated in a one-year Canadian Clinical Trials Group (CCTG) New Investigator Clinical Practicum. I subsequently have been local Principal Investigator (PI) for several MPN clinical trials involving PV, ET, MF and Systemic Mastocytosis. My research involvement includes industry-sponsored, investigator-initiated (IIT) and retrospective studies. Within my local IIT involvement, the ALLO-BAT study (NCT04217356), has been awarded the 2019 MPN Challenge Grant ($200,000) with ongoing enrollment of high-risk Myelofibrosis (MF) patients and comparing outcomes between standard medical treatment versus stem cell transplantation. I was also local PI for a successful IIT pilot study AIRPORT-MPN (NCT04243122) which has recently been awarded a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant in Spring 2024, $1,350,226 (5 year) to expand into a RCT: Low-dose direct oral anticoagulant compares to aspirin for the thromboprophylaxis of patients with JAK2-positive myeloproliferative neoplasms.

As an active executive member of the Canadian MPN group, I participate in national MPN initiatives to improve patient care and research. I am joint PI for various MPN studies with recent grants awarded including Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN), $225,000 (3-year funding) on a PV based study titled “Defining the genomic landscape of high risk hyperproliferative phenotypes in polycythemia: A precision medicine-based approach”. An addition Canadian MPN Research Foundation Research Grant, $50,000 (1 year) was awarded for review of benefits of physical activity in MPNs (MPN FIT study) which we hope to expand to our local site following its initiation in Montreal. 

My retrospective joint research projects have included: the outcomes of ASCT compared to non-transplant therapies for MF patients, understanding of young adult MPN patients, peri-operative management of MPNs, extreme thrombocytosis clinical management and CML asciminib usage in Canada. I have been a research mentor for a past hematology fellow and currently an Internal Medicine resident, who are working alongside me on retrospective data collection and analysis. 

Most recently, I have been involved in biobanking myeloid cancer patient peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate samples. I have assisted in providing guidance on clinical data collection needs and coordination of sample collections.  We are currently looking to expand the biobank beyond AML to include ALL, MDS and MF patients. Goals are to characterize the genetics and molecular defining aspects of these myeloid cancers with aims to identify targetable disease specific markers for future treatment. This translational research is exciting and with the aid of a philanthropic Donation, towards the Charbonneau Cancer Institute for research in myeloproliferative neoplasms/hematologic malignancies of $1,000,000,000 it has allowed for funding of database creation and maintenance for this biobank. I aim to act as clinical research coordinator providing guidance on data collection and hiring of research staff for data entry.