Eleni studied Medicine at the University of Leicester and completed a Master of research (MRes) in Medical Research at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. She joined the integrated clinical academic pathway and successfully completed Academic Foundation Programme in Translational medicine and Academic Clinical Fellowship in Haematology. Eleni is currently a Clinical Academic in the team having recently completed her PhD investigating the role of bone marrow (BM) microenvironment in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). Eleni’s PhD was funded by Sussex Cancer Fund and the British Society of Haematology Early- Stage Research Grant. Eleni is now completing her clinical training at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. She remains an integral part of the research team and has recently secured funding from the Sussex Cancer Fund for a PhD studentship to work on a follow-on project from her PhD. She will be supervising this as the principal investigator helped by the two co-investigators Prof. Andrea Pepper and Dr Fabio Simoes.

A microscopy photograph of AML cells (round shiny cells) adhered to stromal cells (elongated adherent cells). AML cells adhere to BM cells in order to protect themselves from destructive drug therapies. This model is being used to identify mechanisms to release AML cells from the protective BM niche and force them into the circulation where they will be more susceptible to destruction using conventional AML therapies.