Preventing early pancreatic cell changes (ADM) that lead to pancreatic cancer
Full Project 3 – Pancreatic ADM
This project compares healthy, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer tissues to find ways to stop early cell changes called acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) that can lead to pancreatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180973 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team will study human pancreas tissues — including samples from healthy donors, people with chronic pancreatitis, and those with pancreatic cancer — to see how normal acinar cells change into duct-like cells (ADM). They will look at the cells and the surrounding tissue in three-dimensional lab models to track cellular and molecular changes during ADM. The researchers aim to find features of the microenvironment that make ADM more likely and test whether targeting those features could block progression. The work builds on earlier studies using donor acinar tissue and expands to include diseased pancreas samples to better reflect real patient biology.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with chronic pancreatitis, individuals at higher risk for pancreatic cancer, or patients undergoing pancreatic surgery who can donate tissue would be most relevant for this research.
Not a fit: People with unrelated medical conditions or those with advanced, widely metastatic pancreatic cancer are unlikely to receive direct benefits from prevention-focused laboratory studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal ways to prevent or slow the early changes that lead to pancreatic cancer, potentially lowering the risk of developing invasive disease.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory and organoid-based studies have previously shown ADM is an early step toward pancreatic cancer and that 3-D models can capture these changes, but translating those findings into proven patient-level prevention strategies remains limited.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schmittgen, Thomas D. — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Schmittgen, Thomas D.
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.