Collagen and PDAC: how the tumor’s surrounding support system shapes growth and immunity
Official title: Regulation of PDAC metabolism and immunity by collagen and its cleavage products
Funded at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · NIH-11408793 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how collagen in pancreatic cancer interacts with tumor cells and the immune system to influence disease progression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,021,269 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA274295-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11408793 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who consent to participate in future samples collection or related observational studies.
✕Less likely to help
This project is basic science focused on biology of the tumor environment and does not test a treatment in patients.
What this research studies
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma often grows with a dense “scaffold” around it that can both help and hinder the cancer. The project focuses on Type I collagen in the tumor stroma and how its intact or cleaved forms change cancer cell behavior and immune responses. Researchers will study the signals between the cancer cells and the surrounding matrix to understand what makes PDAC more aggressive or more controllable. The findings could point to new ways to slow tumor growth or improve responses to therapy by targeting the tumor environment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these interactions could lead to new strategies that slow PDAC progression and improve effectiveness of treatments by modifying the tumor microenvironment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests the tumor environment can both restrain and promote PDAC, with ongoing efforts to translate these insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Karin, Michael — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Karin, Michael
Related research
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Understanding paracrine signals in pancreatic cancer to improve drug delivery
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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.