How bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) develops
Official title: Deciphering the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Cholangiocarcinoma Development
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11312650 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether changes in chronic bile-duct disease and activity of liver receptors called FXR and CAR drive bile duct cancer, aiming to help people with conditions like primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | April 4, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $518,221 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA300059-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312650 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with chronic cholestatic conditions such as primary sclerosing cholangitis or other biliary stasis/obstruction who might provide samples or join observational efforts.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cholestatic liver disease or those seeking immediate therapeutic interventions are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this basic/translational project.
What this research studies
This research will examine tissue and blood from people with chronic cholestatic liver diseases and use laboratory models to track the earliest molecular changes that lead to cholangiocarcinoma. Scientists will apply advanced profiling methods, including CITE-sequencing and bioinformatics, to map tumor cells and the surrounding immune environment. They will manipulate FXR and CAR receptor activity in cells and models to see how those changes influence malignant transformation. The aim is to identify biomarkers for earlier detection and potential intervention points to prevent progression to bile duct cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could yield biomarkers for earlier detection and suggest new prevention or treatment strategies for people at high risk of bile duct cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Receptor-focused molecular studies in cholangiocarcinoma are relatively new; some preclinical work suggests roles for FXR and CAR but translation to early detection or prevention is not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ko, Sungjin — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Ko, Sungjin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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A new mouse model to study intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and its immunotherapy
A new mouse model helps researchers understand intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and test immune-based treatments to improve outcomes.
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Radiation plus a patient’s own immune cells to boost cholangiocarcinoma treatment
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Worldwide genetics of bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma)
Researchers are looking for genetic patterns that raise the risk of bile duct cancer in people from diverse regions worldwide.
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New mouse model to improve immune therapy for intrahepatic bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma) cancer
This project builds a new mouse model to help make immune-based treatments work better for people with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a type of bile duct liver cancer.
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Mutant IDH in bile duct cancer and its impact on immune response
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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.