Dr. Perkins is an active participant in the clinical hematopathology service as well as a researcher exploring the genes that impact the development of leukemias and other human malignancies. His primary focus is acute myeloid leukemia acute myeloid leukemia: (uh-KYOOT my-uh-LOYD loo-KEE-mee-uh) A cancer of the blood cells. It happens when very young white blood cells (blasts) in the bone marrow fail to mature. The blast cells stay in the bone marrow and become to numerous. This slows production of red blood cells and platelets. Some cases of MDS become… (AML), a particularly lethal type of cancer with no effective thereapies at present. His clinical responsibilities include interpretation of bone marrow bone marrow: The soft, spongy tissue inside most bones. Blood cells are formed in the bone marrow. biopsies and smears, lymph node biopsies, and spleen; and laboratory analyses of coagulation disorders and hemoglobinopathies.