How pancreatic cancer cells scavenge nutrients when starving
Official title: Regulation of Nutrient Stress-Induced Macropinocytosis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Funded at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · NIH-11145627 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how pancreatic cancer cells increase protein uptake to survive low-nutrient conditions, aiming to help people with pancreatic cancer.
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 | July 1, 2016 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $466,136 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA207189-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11145627 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, particularly those whose tumors rely on glutamine metabolism, would be the most relevant group for future trials based on this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers other than pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or whose tumors do not use macropinocytosis for nutrient uptake are less likely to benefit from findings here.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team is studying how pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells use a process called macropinocytosis to swallow and break down proteins as a way to get amino acids when food is scarce. They compare what happens when tumors run low on glutamine and when cells are exposed to a glutamine-like drug, and they map which signaling proteins turn the process on. Researchers use lab-grown cancer cells and animal models to trace the pathways and test how blocking these routes affects tumor growth. The goal is to find targets that could stop tumors from 'feeding' themselves and make other treatments work better.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to block tumor nutrient uptake and weaken pancreatic tumors so treatments control growth more effectively.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has shown pancreatic cancers use macropinocytosis and that targeting glutamine metabolism can affect tumor growth, but some signaling links explored here are relatively new.
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.