Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 18 years old or older

2. Relapsed/refractory leukemias for which no standard therapy options are anticipated
to result in a durable remission: Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) by WHO
classification or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) relapsed or refractory to
standard chemotherapy; unsuitable for standard chemotherapy or unwilling to undergo
standard chemotherapy. Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) positive ALL eligible if failed
prior tyrosine-kinase inhibitor therapy. Age =/> 60 years with AML not candidates for
or have refused standard chemotherapy, excluding subjects with acute promyelocytic
leukemia (APL) or with favorable cytogenetic abnormalities [inv16, t(8;21)].

3. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of less than or equal to
2

4. Serum total bilirubin bilirubin levels > 2 x ULN, unless elevation is thought to be due to hepatic
infiltration by AML, Gilbert's syndrome, or hemolysis. Aspartate aminotransferase or
alanine aminotransferase within normal range (or =/< 3.0 x upper limit of normal
(ULN) if due to leukemic involvement); serum creatinine =/< 1.5 x ULN or 24-hour
clearance =/> 50 mL/min; serum amylase
5. Fasting glucose =/< 120 mg/dL (6.7 mmol/L).

6. Total calcium (corrected for serum albumin) within normal limits (8.8 - 10.5 MG/DL).
This is MDACC lab standard. Supplements for calcium allowed to meet eligibility
criteria.

7. Magnesium >/= the lower limit of normal (1.8 MG/DL). Supplements for magnesium
allowed to meet eligibility criteria

8. Potassium within normal limits (3.5 - 5.0 MEq/L). Supplements for potassium allowed
to meet eligibility criteria

9. international normalized ratio (INR) =/< 2

10. Women of childbearing potential, defined as sexually mature women who have not
undergone a hysterectomy or who have not been naturally postmenopausal for at least
12 consecutive months (i.e., who has had menses any time in the preceding 12
consecutive months), must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 48
hours prior to the start of study drug

11. Patients should be able to take oral medications.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who have received myelosuppressive chemotherapy starting study drug (with the exception of Hydroxyurea which will be allowed during
Course 1 of treatment).

2. Patients who have received targeted anticancer therapy ≤ 2 week (for non
myelosuppressive therapy) prior to starting study drug.

3. central nervous system (CNS) disease

4. Patient has active cardiac disease including any of the following: Left ventricular
ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50% as determined by Multiple Grated acquisition (MUGA)
scan or echocardiogram (ECHO), QTc > 480 msec on screening ECG (using the QTcF
formula), Angina pectoris that requires the use of anti-anginal medication,
Ventricular arrhythmias except for benign premature ventricular contractions,
Supraventricular and nodal arrythmias requiring a pacemaker or not controlled with
medication, Conduction abnormality requiring a pacemaker, Valvular disease with
document compromise in cardiac function, Symptomatic pericarditis

5. Patient has a history of cardiac dysfunction including any of the following:
Myocardial infraction within the last 6 months, documented by persistent elevated
cardiac enzymes or persistent regional wall abnormalities on assessment of LVEF
function Documented congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association functional
classification III-IV) Documented cardiomyopathy

6. Other concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled concomitant medical conditions (e.g.,
e.g., uncontrolled infection, such as persistent fever despite antibacterial therapy)
that could cause unacceptable safety risks or compromise compliance with the
protocol. Significant symptomatic deterioration of lung function. If clinically
indicated, pulmonary function tests including measures of predicted lung volumes,
DLco, O2 saturation at rest on room air should be considered to exclude pneumonitis
or pulmonary infiltrates.

7. Patient has poorly controlled diabetes mellitus or steroid-induced diabetes mellitus

8. Patients with acute or chronic liver, renal disease or pancreatitis

9. Patients with diarrhea >/= CTCAE grade 2

10. Impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may significantly
alter the absorption of BKM120 (e.g., ulcerative diseases, uncontrolled nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, malabsorption syndrome, or small bowel resection). Patients with
unresolved diarrhea will be excluded as previously indicated

11. Patients who have been treated with any hematopoietic colony-stimulating growth
factors (e.g., G-CSF, GM-CSF) Erythropoietin or darbepoetin therapy, if initiated at least 2 weeks prior to
enrollment, may be continued

12. Patients with the following mood disorders as judged by the Investigator or a
psychiatrist, or as a result of patient's mood assessment questionnaire: a. Medically
documented history of or active major depressive episode, bipolar disorder (I or II),
obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, a history of suicidal attempt or
ideation, or homicidal ideation (immediate risk of doing harm to others) b. >/= CTCAE
grade 3 anxiety c. Meets the cut-off score of >/= 10 in the Patient Health
Questionnaire PHQ-9 or a cut-off of >/= 15 in the General Anxiety Disorder GAD-7 mood
scale, respectively, or selects a positive response of "1, 2, or 3" to question
number 9 regarding potential for suicidal thoughts in the PHQ-9 (independent of the
total score of the PHQ-9) will be excluded from the study unless overruled by the
psychiatric assessment

13. Patients who have received prior treatment with a PI3K inhibitor

14. Patients with a known hypersensitivity to BKM120 or to its excipients

15. Patients who are currently receiving treatment with medication with a known risk to
prolong the QT interval or inducing Torsades de Pointes and the treatment cannot
either be discontinued or switched to a different medication prior to starting study
drug. Please refer to table 4-7 or a list of prohibited QT prolonging drugs with risk
of Torsades de Pointes

16. Patients who are currently treated with drugs known to be moderate and strong
inhibitors or inducers of isoenzyme CYP3A, and the treatment cannot be discontinued
or switched to a different medication prior to starting study drug. If treatment with
such an inhibitor is in the best interest of the patient, extreme caution should be
taken with its concomitant use. Please refer to Table 4-6 for a list of prohibited
inhibitors and inducers of CYP3A (Please note that co-treatment with weak inhibitors
of CYP3A is allowed)

17. Patients receiving chronic treatment with steroids or another immunosuppressive agent

18. Patients who have taken herbal medications and certain fruits within 7 days prior to
starting study drug. Herbal medications include, but are not limited to St. John's
wort, Kava, ephedra (ma huang), gingko biloba, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA),
yohimbe, saw palmetto, and ginseng. Fruits include the CYP3A inhibitors Seville
oranges, grapefruit, pummelos, or exotic citrus fruits

19. Patients who have undergone major surgery who have not recovered from side effects of such therapy

20. Patients who are currently taking therapeutic doses of warfarin sodium or any other
coumadin-derivative anticoagulant

21. Women who are pregnant or breast feeding or adults of reproductive potential not
employing an effective method of birth control. Double barrier contraceptives must be
used through the trial by both sexes. Oral, implantable, or injectable contraceptives
may be affected by cytochrome P450 interactions, and are therefore not considered
effective for this study. Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative serum
or urine pregnancy test ≤ 48 hours prior to initiating treatment.

22. Known diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection

23. History of another malignancy within 3 years, except cured basal cell carcinoma of
the skin or excised carcinoma in situ of the cervix and squamous cell carcinoma in
situ of the skin.

24. Patient is unable or unwilling to abide by the study protocol or cooperate fully with
the investigator.