How pancreatic cancer and nearby stromal cells scavenge nutrients
Official title: Regulation and Function of Stromal Macropinocytosis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Funded at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · NIH-11187016 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how pancreatic cancer cells and the fibroblasts around them take up and break down proteins to survive when key nutrients are low.
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 | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $585,801 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA254806-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11187016 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or those enrolled in related translational studies would be the most relevant patient group for future therapies emerging from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Because this is preclinical mechanistic research, patients with non-pancreatic conditions or those seeking immediate treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from the grant itself.
What this research studies
This project studies macropinocytosis, a process by which cells engulf extracellular fluid and protein to harvest amino acids. The team focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), particularly under glutamine-poor conditions. They will map the CAMKK2-AMPK and Rac1-driven actin changes that control macropinocytic uptake using cellular models and preclinical experiments. The aim is to identify molecular switches in tumor-stroma metabolism that could be targeted to cut off this nutrient source.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new targets to block a nutrient pathway that helps pancreatic tumors survive, potentially slowing tumor growth.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown macropinocytosis supplies amino acids to tumors and that glutamine stress can change macropinocytosis, but targeting stromal macropinocytosis is a more novel approach.
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.