Finding new ways to target acid levels in pancreatic cancer cells
Official title: Discovery of Novel Inhibitors Targeting trans-Golgi Network Acidification in Pancreatic Cancer
Funded at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · NIH-11045049 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a tough type of pancreatic cancer and how the cancer cells keep themselves alive by managing their acidity, with the goal of finding new treatments that can specifically kill these cancer cells without harming healthy ones.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| 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 | March 22, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $645,331 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276193-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11045049 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancer or those without pancreatic cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a highly lethal form of cancer with a very low survival rate. The team is investigating how cancer cells manage their internal acidity, which is crucial for their survival, and aims to develop new therapies that can disrupt this process. By targeting a specific protein called NHE7, which helps cancer cells maintain their pH balance, the researchers hope to induce cell death specifically in cancer cells while sparing normal cells. This approach could lead to more effective treatments for patients with PDAC.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to innovative therapies that significantly improve survival rates for pancreatic cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: While targeting metabolic processes in cancer is a promising area, this specific approach to targeting the trans-Golgi network in PDAC is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Commisso, Cosimo — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Commisso, Cosimo
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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.