Stopping early pancreatic cell changes (acinar-to-ductal metaplasia)
Full Project 3 – Pancreatic ADM
This project looks at whether preventing a change in pancreatic cells called acinar-to-ductal metaplasia could help stop or slow pancreatic cancer in people with chronic pancreatitis or early pancreatic lesions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11187177 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will compare pancreas tissue from healthy donors, people with chronic pancreatitis, and patients with pancreatic cancer to see how acinar cells convert to duct-like cells (ADM). They will use 3-D lab models and molecular tests to study how the surrounding microenvironment influences ADM. The team aims to identify the cellular signals and interactions that drive ADM and its progression toward cancer. Results will be used to find points where interventions might block ADM and reduce early pancreatic cancer development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people with chronic pancreatitis, patients who have early pancreatic lesions, or individuals undergoing pancreatic surgery who can donate tissue samples.
Not a fit: People with advanced, widely metastatic pancreatic cancer are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this tissue-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new ways to prevent or slow early pancreatic cancer by targeting the ADM process.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory and donor-tissue studies have linked ADM to pancreatic cancer and the research team has prior supportive data, but using ADM-targeting approaches as a prevention strategy remains largely new.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Han, Bo — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Han, Bo
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.