Understanding and Stopping Liver Spread of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Official title: Angiopoietin-2/Tie2 signaling regulation of liver metastasis in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11123898 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work explores how a protein called Angiopoietin-2 helps pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors spread to the liver and how blocking it might improve treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 12, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $526,519 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA266270-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11123898 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is for future patients living with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, especially those who experience or are at high risk for liver metastasis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors or those whose cancer has not spread to the liver may not directly benefit from this specific research focus.
What this research studies
Many people with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET) develop cancer spread to the liver, and current treatments for this are limited. Our team is looking into how a specific protein, Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2), contributes to this spread and helps tumors hide from the body's immune system. We believe that by blocking Ang2, we can stabilize blood vessels around the tumor, making it harder for the cancer to grow and potentially allowing immune-boosting therapies to work better. This approach aims to uncover new ways to manage advanced PanNET and improve patient outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatment strategies that prevent or reduce liver metastasis in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, potentially making existing therapies more effective.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary studies in mouse models have shown that blocking Angiopoietin-2 can reduce liver tumor growth and improve survival.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Minah — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Kim, Minah
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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.