How different dietary fats affect pancreatic cancer start and growth
Impact of dietary lipids on pancreas cancer initiation and progression
This project looks at whether specific kinds of high-fat diets speed up or slow the start and growth of pancreatic cancer to help people at risk understand dietary effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184343 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are using a mouse model that carries a common pancreatic cancer mutation to mimic how the disease can begin. They will feed mice two different high-fat diets chosen for their different types of fatty acids and observe effects on the pancreas over time. The team will profile individual pancreatic cells using single-cell RNA and chromatin sequencing and use a new tagging system to pull out acinar cells for detailed metabolite testing. By connecting changes in gene activity, chromatin state, and metabolism, they hope to reveal how diet-driven inflammation or epigenetic changes may prime the pancreas for tumor development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People concerned about pancreatic cancer risk—such as those with a family history, genetic predisposition, or obesity—would be most interested in the findings and potential future trials.
Not a fit: Patients with unrelated medical conditions or those with advanced pancreatic cancer are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical, laboratory-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific dietary fats that raise or lower pancreatic cancer risk and suggest new prevention strategies or early-detection targets.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and epidemiologic studies have linked obesity and high-fat diets to faster pancreatic cancer in mouse models and higher risk in people, but translating these findings to clear human guidance remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Christofk, Heather — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Christofk, Heather
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 below.