Microbial Dysbiosis and Its Role in Pancreatic Cancer
Official title: Microbial Dysbiosis in Pancreatic Cancer Initiation and Progression
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11624054 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A doctor-researcher team at Northwestern University is studying how gut bacteria influence pancreatic cancer and its response to immunotherapy to find new ways to help patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $273,865 |
| NIH project number | 7K08CA282374-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11624054 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic cancer or those at risk who could participate in studies of tumor samples, immune cells, or microbiome analyses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not meeting study eligibility or whose tumors do not show relevant bacterial interactions may not benefit.
What this research studies
Pancreatic cancer is very hard to treat and current therapies offer limited survival. This grant explores how gut bacteria that are out of balance may reach the pancreas and shape immune cells inside pancreatic tumors. By studying tumor tissues and the surrounding environment, researchers hope to pinpoint bacterial factors that drive cancer progression and resistance to treatment. The work includes analyzing immune cell behavior and inflammatory signals in the tumor microenvironment to identify potential targets for new therapies. If successful, this line of research could lead to microbiome-based strategies to improve outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding the microbiome’s role could lead to new treatments that boost immune response and slow pancreatic cancer progression.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests tumor-associated bacteria influence pancreatic cancer, but detailed mechanisms remain to be clarified; this study builds on and extends those findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Daley, Donnele — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Daley, Donnele
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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.