Human tissue and advanced sequencing support for pancreatic cancer and cachexia
Core B – Human Biospecimen and Advanced Sequencing Core
This program provides patient tissue samples and advanced genetic sequencing to help uncover how pancreatic cancer causes severe weight and muscle loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144586 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This core collects blood, tumor, fat, and muscle samples from people with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and prepares them for detailed analysis. The team uses single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing to read which genes are active in individual cells from those samples. They match samples from the same patients across tumor and peripheral tissues and run advanced computational analyses to map pathways like IL-6, STAT3, and NF-kB that drive cachexia. By sharing these human data and analysis with the Program's projects, the core helps translate lab findings into potential targets to stop or reverse cancer-related wasting.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who can provide blood and tissue samples, often at or near the Medical University of South Carolina, including during surgery or clinical visits.
Not a fit: People without pancreatic cancer, or those who cannot or do not want to give tissue or blood samples, are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify molecular targets to prevent or treat cancer-associated wasting, potentially improving strength, weight, and quality of life for people with pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Single-cell sequencing has yielded important discoveries in other cancers, but applying these methods to human samples focused on PDAC-related cachexia is relatively new and still emerging.
Where this research is happening
Charleston, United States
- Medical University of South Carolina — Charleston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Koniaris, Leonidas G. — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Koniaris, Leonidas G.
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.