Natural products to block KLK6 and stop early pancreatic cancer progression
Official title: Discovery of Natural Products and Natural Product Derivatives as Inhibitors of KLK6 to Prevent the Progression of Preneoplastic Ductal Pancreatic Cancer
Funded at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory · NIH-11371098 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to find natural compounds that inhibit KLK6 to help prevent early pancreatic cancer from becoming invasive.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cold Spring Harbor, United States) |
| Project start | July 9, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $398,400 |
| NIH project number | 5UG3CA290364-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11371098 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals at high risk for pancreatic cancer or those with early-stage, non-invasive preneoplastic lesions who could benefit from preventive strategies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without preneoplastic lesions or high-risk conditions may not directly benefit from this preventive approach.
What this research studies
This project focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and uses specially engineered human organoid models in mice to study early disease progression. It looks for natural products that can block KLK6, a protein linked to faster cancer progression, with the goal of stopping progression before it becomes invasive. Researchers will test how these compounds affect the tumor environment, including the surrounding matrix and signaling signals, to prevent cancer cells from spreading. The work blends biology, chemistry and animal models to identify potential preventive strategies that could be translated to patients at risk for pancreatic cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the identified natural compounds could lead to preventive therapies that interrupt early cancer progression and improve survival.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work using organoid models and KLK6 suggests targeting this pathway can influence progression, supporting potential benefit but clinical translation is still early.
Where this research is happening
-
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cold Spring Harbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moses, John Edward — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
- Study coordinator: Moses, John Edward
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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.