Blocking a key amino acid transporter (SLC6A14) to fight pancreatic cancer
Official title: SLC6A14 as a unique drug target to treat pancreatic cancer
Funded at Texas Tech University Health Scis Center · NIH-11308259 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research tests whether stopping a protein that brings amino acids into pancreatic cancer cells can slow tumor growth for people with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Tech University Health Scis Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lubbock, United States) |
| Project start | May 12, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $349,640 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA262420-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11308259 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma—especially those whose tumors show high SLC6A14 levels—would be the most likely candidates for future therapies developed from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other cancer types, tumors that do not express SLC6A14, or those who cannot tolerate drugs that block autophagy/macropinocytosis are less likely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are focusing on SLC6A14, a protein often turned up in pancreatic tumors that helps cancer cells import many amino acids they need to grow. In the lab they use human pancreatic cancer cell lines and mouse models to remove or block SLC6A14 and watch how tumors respond. They are also studying how cancer cells switch on survival pathways like autophagy and macropinocytosis when SLC6A14 is blocked. The team plans to test combinations that block both SLC6A14 and these compensatory nutrient-scavenging pathways to try to get a stronger anti-tumor effect.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new drugs or drug combinations that slow tumor growth and improve outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies by this group and others have shown that removing or blocking SLC6A14 can slow pancreatic tumor growth in cell and mouse models, while combination approaches targeting compensatory pathways are a newer, still-developing idea.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
Lubbock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bhutia, Yangzom Doma — Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
- Study coordinator: Bhutia, Yangzom Doma
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.