Blocking pancreatic tumors' reliance on glutathione
Disrupting glutathione dependency in pancreatic cancer
This project tests methods to stop pancreatic cancer cells from using glutathione to survive, aiming to help people with pancreatic ductal carcinoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11241986 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are studying how pancreatic tumors depend on the amino acid cysteine to make glutathione, a molecule that helps cancer cells survive under stress. They use lab experiments with tumor cells, genetic tools like CRISPR, and animal models alongside analyses of human tumor data to find which pathways keep glutathione levels high. The team is also exploring how immune cells called macrophages in the tumor environment can supply glutathione to cancer cells and whether blocking that support weakens tumors. The goal is to identify targets that could be turned into treatments to make pancreatic tumors more vulnerable to therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), especially those with treatment-resistant disease or tumors showing signs of cysteine/glutathione activity, would be most relevant for future trials stemming from this work.
Not a fit: Patients without PDAC or whose tumors do not rely on cysteine/glutathione pathways are unlikely to benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new therapies that make pancreatic tumors more sensitive to existing treatments and improve survival.
How similar studies have performed: Targeting tumor metabolism has shown promise in some cancers, but directly disrupting glutathione dependency in PDAC is a newer approach with limited prior clinical success.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nwosu, Zeribe Chike — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Nwosu, Zeribe Chike
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 below.