JANTESS PORTELLI | Understanding resistance of leukaemia to drugs

A word from Jantess...

I feel deeply honoured to have had the opportunity to pursue my Master’s Degree at the

University of Malta, made possible through the generous support of the TESS (Tertiary

Education Scholarships Scheme). Balancing part-time postgraduate studies with my

professional responsibilities was both challenging and rewarding, and I am proud to have

successfully completed my degree.

This Master’s programme offered a variety of modules that were directly relevant to my field,

enabling me to broaden my scientific knowledge and strengthen my analytical and research

skills. The flexibility of the course structure allowed me to tailor my academic experience to

complement the evolving needs of the laboratory and the healthcare environment, ensuring that

my studies had practical relevance to my role as a biomedical scientist. As the field of

healthcare continues to advance — particularly in diagnostic technologies, laboratory practices,

and research methodologies — staying updated and adaptable is essential. The insights gained

throughout this programme have allowed me to support the implementation of new techniques

and ensure that practices remain in line with the latest evidence-based standards. This has

played a key role in enhancing the accuracy and quality of diagnostic services and contributing

to improved patient outcomes.

Completing this Master’s Degree marks the beginning of a lifelong journey of professional

growth. I strongly believe in the value of collaboration across disciplines in healthcare, and I

am committed to sharing the knowledge I have gained with colleagues and future professionals

through continuous professional development and mentoring opportunities. I am sincerely

grateful to the TESS Scholarship Scheme for supporting me throughout this academic journey.

I will continue to do my utmost to ensure that the knowledge and experience gained are used

to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the field of biomedical science.

The research work presented in this publication was partially supported by the TESS (Tertiary

Education Scholarships Scheme), administered by the Government of Malta. This scholarship

was co-financed by the European Union – European Social Fund (ESF) under the Operational

Programme II – Cohesion Policy 2014–2020:

“Investing in human capital to create more opportunities and promote the well-being of

society.”

- Jantess Portelli​​

Meet Jantess

My name is Jantess Calleja. When I was young, science was the subject that appealed to me the most. When I was admitted to University, I chose to read a science-based degree and in 2019 I graduated with honours as an Allied Health Professional. I am working as a Medical Laboratory Scientist in Mater Dei Hospital. In 2020 I started reading for my Masters Degree in Biomedical Science Cell Therapy and Tissue Banking.

Understanding resistance of leukemia to drugs

I am studying Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) cells. Most people diagnosed with CML are given drug therapy, one of the drugs given is called imatinib. The CML cells can become resistant to imatinib and this resumes the detrimental effects on the patient. I am trying to understand how CML cells become resistant to imatinib.

To do such an experiment, CML cells that are resistant and CML cells that are not resistant to imatinib need to be tested. Different tests are run to determine the differences between the two cell lines. The main tests involve testing for autophagy which is well known to promote drug resistance. The other test involves testing carrier molecules called exosomes and the contents inside these exosomes.

The Next step…

This depends on my results. If I do find a connection, the experiment needs to be replicated to stabilise that there is actually a connection. Then further experiments are needed to determine how the CML cells are to be treated to avoid the resistance. If no connection is found, there needs to be further testing to determine the mechanism behind imatinib resistance.