Mark is a highly motivated researcher and teacher, demonstrating the capacity to conduct independent research. Mark has acquired over 11 years of expertise in the understanding and research of solid and blood cancers, identifying new potentially targetable disease mechanisms in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), Multiple Myeloma (MM), and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). Currently, the leukaemia field is shifting from a leukemic cell-centered research perspective to a view in which the environment within the bone marrow (BM) is considered increasingly important in shielding leukemic cells from therapy (therapy resistance). Strategies thus far targeting leukaemia – BM cross-talk, however are currently inadequate, as the vast majority of approved therapies do not target cells present in the BM (e.g. stromal and immune cells), which drive therapy resistance. Together with Dr. Monica Guzman (Cornell University) and industrial partners (AstraZeneca, Genentech) the williams lab is establishing 3D model systems, and using targeted therapy approaches, for studying and therapeutically targeting the mechanisms underlying stroma and immune mediated therapy resistance in AML and MM.