Cystine-limited stress and pancreatic cancer growth and spread
Official title: Cystine limitation stress in pancreatic cancer tumor growth, progression and metastasis
Funded at Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · NIH-11445541 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how pancreatic cancer cells survive when the nutrient cystine is scarce and to find weak spots that could be targeted to slow or stop tumor growth and spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hershey, United States) |
| Project start | July 22, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $614,025 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA308069-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11445541 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with pancreatic cancer, especially those whose tumors show evidence of nutrient stress and metabolic adaptation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not rely on cystine limitation or whose cancer biology is unrelated to the studied pathways may receive no direct benefit.
What this research studies
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma often lives in a nutrient-poor tumor environment. This project looks at how cancer cells adapt to cystine limitation, including changes in protein production and metabolism that support growth and resistance to cell death. By studying these mechanisms, researchers hope to uncover new targets for therapies that could exploit the cancer’s own adaptations. The work includes lab experiments in cell models and animal systems to identify potential drug vulnerabilities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal new therapeutic strategies to slow or halt pancreatic cancer progression in patients with cystine-limited tumors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has indicated that metabolic adaptations can create actionable vulnerabilities in cancer, with some approaches progressing to early therapeutic development.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
Hershey, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Shengyu — Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Yang, Shengyu
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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.