Overcoming pancreatic cancer resistance with epigenetic therapy
Official title: Project 1: Overcoming therapeutic resistance in pancreatic cancer through epigenetic reprogramming
Funded at Salk Institute for Biological Studies · NIH-11364214 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly look at a study testing how turning the cancer cell’s epigenetic programs may make pancreatic cancer more responsive to existing treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Salk Institute for Biological Studies NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 6, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $430,347 |
| NIH project number | 5P01CA265762-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11364214 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or those contributing tumor samples for organoid studies may be considered in related future efforts.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage preclinical work may not directly benefit all patients, and findings require further testing before clinical use.
What this research studies
Researchers at the Salk Institute will study pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (a very challenging cancer) and how epigenetic changes in cancer cells contribute to resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. They will test drugs that inhibit class I HDACs, both in lab-grown organoids and in mouse models, and use a nanoparticle system to delivery these inhibitors safely in living animals. The team will also explore whether blocking autophagy can boost the effectiveness of HDAC inhibitors and DNA-damaging therapies. In addition, they will examine how different genetic mutations in tumors affect responses to these treatments using a bank of human organoids. This work aims to identify combination strategies that could overcome resistance and improve outcomes for patients with PDA.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to new treatment combinations that make pancreatic cancer more responsive to therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests epigenetic drugs can alter cancer cell responses and sensitize tumors to DNA-damaging therapies, but human organoid-based validation is ongoing.
Where this research is happening
-
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Evans, Ronald M — Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- Study coordinator: Evans, Ronald M
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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.