Proton FLASH radiation plus implantable immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer
Project 2
This project develops a combined treatment that uses ultra-fast proton radiation together with implantable biomaterials that slowly release immune-boosting drugs for people with pancreatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11196093 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building the PERFECT platform that pairs proton-based FLASH radiotherapy with smart radiotherapy biomaterials (SRBs) that deliver immunotherapy over time. They will optimize ultra-high dose radiation settings and implant design in lab and animal studies while measuring how the materials spread, release drugs, and behave in the body. The team will collect safety, toxicity, and pharmacokinetic data to support moving toward human trials. The approach aims to kill pancreatic tumors with high-dose radiation while protecting nearby organs and stimulating the immune system to fight distant cancer sites.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer who need new local and systemic treatment options and who could travel to a specialized center for care.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage resectable pancreatic cancer, those who cannot receive radiation, or those with medical conditions that make implants or immunotherapy unsafe may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could allow higher, more tumor-ablating radiation doses with fewer side effects and better control of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical FLASH radiotherapy has shown promising normal-tissue sparing and some early human experience, but combining proton-FLASH with slow-release immunotherapy implants is a novel strategy that has not yet been tested in patients.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ding, Kai — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Ding, Kai
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.