Blocking a protein (HNF1A) that helps pancreatic cancer resist treatment
Official title: Targeting HNF1A-mediated therapeutic resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Funded at Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp · NIH-11238562 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are trying to block a protein called HNF1A to make drug-resistant pancreatic cancer cells more vulnerable to treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Buffalo, United States) |
| Project start | February 3, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $523,198 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA275961-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238562 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma—especially those with treatment-resistant or recurrent disease and tumors showing HNF1A-related biology—would be the most likely candidates for future trials based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or whose tumors do not rely on HNF1A-driven pathways would be unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This project focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and a small group of treatment-resistant "cancer stem" cells that help tumors regrow. Scientists will study how the protein HNF1A supports those cells and use BET inhibitors (which target the epigenetic reader BRD4) alone and together with MEK/ERK inhibitors to see if the combination increases cancer cell death. The work uses lab-grown tumor cells and preclinical models to measure cell growth, survival, and whether turning HNF1A back on restores resistance. The team hopes to identify a drug combination that can overcome adaptive resistance in pancreatic cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new drug combinations that overcome resistance and improve outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: BET inhibitors have shown promise in lab studies but limited success so far in patients, and combining BET inhibitors with MEK/ERK blockers to target HNF1A is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp
Buffalo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abel, Ethan Vincent — Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp
- Study coordinator: Abel, Ethan Vincent
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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.