Genetic and gene-activity differences linked to pancreatic cancer disparities
Official title: Integrated Genomic-Transcriptomic Characterization to Identify Molecular Mechanisms of Disparities in PDAC Outcomes
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11376128 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at DNA changes and gene activity in pancreatic tumors to find differences that may help explain why African American patients often have worse outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $218,351 |
| NIH project number | 7R21CA267124-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11376128 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, especially African American patients who can provide tumor tissue and allow access to their clinical records.
✕Less likely to help
People without pancreatic adenocarcinoma, patients with non-adenocarcinoma pancreatic tumors, or those seeking an immediate change in their care are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this research.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will compare DNA mutations and RNA (gene activity) patterns in pancreatic tumor samples from African American patients and patients of other groups. They will sequence tumor DNA and RNA and combine those molecular results with clinical records to see which patterns link to more aggressive disease or poorer survival. The team will focus on common driver genes such as KRAS, TP53, SMAD4, and CDKN2A to understand how mutations change tumor behavior and the tumor microenvironment. To strengthen findings they will use both local tumor samples and public datasets to increase the number and diversity of tumors analyzed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biomarkers or molecular targets that lead to better prognosis, more personalized treatments, and reduced outcome disparities for African American pancreatic cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in colon, breast, and prostate cancer have shown genomic and transcriptomic differences linked to disparities, but similarly comprehensive molecular data for pancreatic cancer are currently limited, making this effort partially novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dudeja, Vikas — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Dudeja, Vikas
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.