Preclinical approaches in chronic myeloid leukemia: from cells to systems

•CML is a hematopoietic stem cell disorder caused by a chromosomal translocation.•TKIs have transformed CML treatment but do not eradicate LSC which maintain disease.•The current preclinical approaches applied in CML research are reviewed.•Successfully combining approaches to deliver preclinical packages is discussed.

Advances in the design of targeted therapies for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) have transformed the prognosis for patients diagnosed with this disease. However, leukemic stem cell persistence, drug intolerance, drug resistance, and advanced-phase disease represent unmet clinical needs demanding the attention of CML investigators worldwide. The availability of appropriate preclinical models is essential to efficiently translate findings from the bench to the clinic. Here we review the current approaches taken to preclinical work in the CML field, including examples of commonly used in vivo models and recent successes from systems biology-based methodologies.