Description of Research Expertise

Dr. Alexander Perl is a member of the leukemia program in the Abramson Cancer Center and an Associate Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on molecularly-targeted therapeutics for acute leukemia. His principal expertise is in FLT3 inhibitors for AML and he has played a leading role in clinical trails of these agents. He also studies other agents targeting signal transduction, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors for Ph-like ALL and inhibitors of oncogenic PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. His laboratory studies focus on phospho-specific flow cytometry of fixed, unfractionated blood and marrow as a method to quantify pharmacodynamic response to signal transduction inhibitors. He is additionally interested in preclinical drug screening in cellular and murine xenotransplantation models of acute leukemia.

Selected Publications

Varadarajan N, Boni A, Elder DE, Bagg A, Micheletti R, Perl AE, Rosenbach M: FLT3 inhibitor-associated neutrophilic dermatoses JAMA Dermatology 152 (2): 480-2,2016.

Nybakken G E, Canaani J, Roy D, Morrissette J D, Watt C D, Shah N P, Smith C C, Bagg A, Carroll M, Perl A E: Quizartinib elicits differential responses that correlate with karyotype and genotype of the leukemic clone. Leukemia 30 (6): 1422-5,2015.

Luskin Marlise R, Huen Auris O, Brooks Sarah A, Stewart Campbell, Watt Christopher D, Morrissette Jennifer J D, Lieberman David B, Bagg Adam, Rosenbach Misha, Perl Alexander E: NPM1 Mutation is Associated with Leukemia Cutis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Monocytic Features. Haematologica 100 (10): 412-4,2015.

Smith Catherine C, Zhang Chao, Lin Kimberly C, Lasater Elisabeth A, Zhang Ying, Massi Evan, Damon Lauren E, Pendleton Matthew, Bashir Ali, Sebra Robert, Perl Alexander, Kasarskis Andrew, Shellooe Rafe, Tsang Garson, Carias Heidi, Powell Ben, Burton Elizabeth A, Matusow Bernice, Zhang Jiazhong, Spevak Wayne, Ibrahim Prabha N, Le Mai H, Hsu Henry H, Habets Gaston, West Brian L, Bollag Gideon, Shah Neil P: Characterizing and Overriding the Structural Mechanism of the Quizartinib-Resistant FLT3 "Gatekeeper" F691L Mutation with PLX3397. Cancer Discovery 5 (6): 668-79,2015.

Li Sheng, Garrett-Bakelman Francine, Perl Alexander E, Luger Selina M, Zhang Chao, To Bik L, Lewis Ian D, Brown Anna L, D Andrea Richard J, Ross M, Levine Ross, Carroll Martin, Melnick Ari, Mason Christopher E: Dynamic evolution of clonal epialleles revealed by methclone. Genome Biology 15 (9): 472,2014.

Smith Catherine Choy, Lasater Elisabeth A, Lin Kimberly C, Wang Qi, McCreery Melissa Quino, Stewart Whitney K, Damon Lauren E, Perl Alexander E, Jeschke Grace R, Sugita Mayumi, Carroll Martin, Kogan Scott C, Kuriyan John, Shah Neil P: Crenolanib is a selective type I pan-FLT3 inhibitor. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 111 (14): 5319-24,2014.

Schaab C, Oppermann F S, Klammer M, Pfeifer H, Tebbe A, Oellerich T, Krauter J, Levis M, Perl A E, Daub H, Steffen B, Godl K, Serve H: Global phosphoproteome analysis of human bone marrow reveals predictive phosphorylation markers for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia with quizartinib. Leukemia 28 (3): 716-9,2014.

Perl Alexander E, Kasner Margaret T, Shank Doris, Luger Selina M, Carroll Martin: Single-cell pharmacodynamic monitoring of S6 ribosomal protein phosphorylation in AML blasts during a clinical trial combining the mTOR inhibitor sirolimus and intensive chemotherapy. Clinical Cancer Research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 18 (6): 1716-25,2012.

Landsburg Daniel J, Stadtmauer Edward, Loren Alison, Goldstein Steven, Frey Noelle, Nasta Sunita D, Porter David L, Tsai Donald E, Perl Alexander E, Hexner Elizabeth O, Luger Selina: Receipt of maintenance therapy is most predictive of survival in older acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients treated with intensive induction chemotherapy regimens. American Journal of Hematology 88 (8): 657-60,2013.

Dinardo Courtney D, Propert Kathleen J, Loren Alison W, Paietta Elisabeth, Sun Zhuoxin, Levine Ross L, Straley Kimberly S, Yen Katharine, Patel Jay P, Agresta Samuel, Abdel-Wahab Omar, Perl Alexander E, Litzow Mark R, Rowe Jacob M, Lazarus Hillard M, Fernandez Hugo F, Margolis David J, Tallman Martin S, Luger Selina M, Carroll Martin: Serum 2-hydroxyglutarate levels predict isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations and clinical outcome in acute myeloid leukemia. Blood 121 (24): 4917-24,2013.

Gojo I, Perl A, Luger SM, Baer MR, Norsworthy KJ, Bauer KS, Tidwell M, Fleckinger S, Carroll M, and Sausville EA.: Phase 1 Study of UCN-01 in Combination with Perifosine in Patients with Relapsed and Refractory Acute Leukemias and High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Invest New Drugs 31 (5): 1217-27,2013.

Sexauer Amy, Perl Alexander, Yang Xiaochuan, Borowitz Michael, Gocke Christopher, Rajkhowa Trivikram, Thiede Christian, Frattini Mark, Nybakken Grant E, Pratz Keith, Karp Judith, Smith B Douglas, Levis Mark: Terminal myeloid differentiation in vivo is induced by FLT3 inhibition in FLT3/ITD AML. Blood 120 (20): 4205-14,2012.

Smith Catherine C, Wang Qi, Chin Chen-Shan, Salerno Sara, Damon Lauren E, Levis Mark J, Perl Alexander E, Travers Kevin J, Wang Susana, Hunt Jeremy P, Zarrinkar Patrick P, Schadt Eric E, Kasarskis Andrew, Kuriyan John, Shah Neil P: Validation of ITD mutations in FLT3 as a therapeutic target in human acute myeloid leukaemia. Nature 485 (7397): 260-3,2012.

Levis Mark, Ravandi Farhad, Wang Eunice S, Baer Maria R, Perl Alexander, Coutre Steven, Erba Harry, Stuart Robert K, Baccarani Michele, Cripe Larry D, Tallman Martin S, Meloni Giovanna, Godley Lucy A, Langston Amelia A, Amadori Sergio, Lewis Ian D, Nagler Arnon, Stone Richard, Yee Karen, Advani Anjali, Douer Dan, Wiktor-Jedrzejczak W, Juliusson Gunnar, Litzow Mark R, Petersdorf Stephen, Sanz Miguel, Kantarjian Hagop M, Sato Takashi, Tremmel Lothar, Bensen-Kennedy Debra M, Small Donald, Smith B Douglas: Results from a randomized trial of salvage chemotherapy followed by lestaurtinib for patients with FLT3 mutant AML in first relapse. Blood 117 (12): 3294-301,2011.

Ward Patrick S, Patel Jay, Wise David R, Abdel-Wahab Omar, Bennett Bryson D, Coller Hilary A, Cross Justin R, Fantin Valeria R, Hedvat Cyrus V, Perl Alexander E, Rabinowitz Joshua D, Carroll Martin, Su Shinsan M, Sharp Kim A, Levine Ross L, Thompson Craig B: The common feature of leukemia-associated IDH1 and IDH2 mutations is a neomorphic enzyme activity converting alpha-ketoglutarate to 2-hydroxyglutarate. Cancer Cell 17 (3): 225-34,2010.

Perl AE, Kasner MT, Tsai DE, Vogl DT, Loren AW, Schuster SJ, Porter DL, Stadtmauer EA, Goldstein SC, Frey NV, Nasta SD, Hexner EO, Swider C, Bagg A, Gewirtz AM, Carroll M, Luger SM: A Phase I Study of the mTOR Inhibitor Sirolimus and MEC Chemotherapy in Relapsed and Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia Clinical Cancer Research 15 (21): 6732-9,2009.

Sanchez PV, Perry RL, Sarry JE, Perl AE, Murphy K, Swider CR, Bagg A, Choi JK, Biegel JA, Danet-Desnoyers G, Carroll M: A robust xenotransplantation model for acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia : official journal of the Leukemia Society of America, Leukemia Research Fund, U.K 23 (11): 2109-2117,2009.

Academic Contact Information

Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
Division of Hematology-Oncology
University or Pennsylvania
3400 Civic Center Blvd
12th Floor, South Pavilion
Office #12-154
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: 215-662-4794
Patient appointments: 800-789-7366