Understanding how pancreatic cancer changes its surroundings to resist treatment
Defining epigenetic signaling to reshape pancreatic tumor microenvironment
This work explores how changes within pancreatic cancer cells affect their environment, aiming to make current treatments more effective for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11131024 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Pancreatic cancer is very difficult to treat, partly because the area around the tumor, called the microenvironment, becomes very good at protecting the cancer from medicines. We know that many pancreatic cancers have a specific genetic change in an enzyme called KMT2D, which affects how genes are turned on or off. This project aims to discover how this KMT2D change makes the tumor microenvironment suppress the immune system and resist therapies. By understanding these mechanisms, we hope to find new ways to reprogram the tumor's environment, making it more vulnerable to existing treatments like immunotherapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is relevant for patients with pancreatic cancer, especially those whose tumors carry mutations in the KMT2D gene.
Not a fit: Patients without pancreatic cancer or those with other cancer types may not directly benefit from this specific research focus.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies that make pancreatic cancer more responsive to current treatments, potentially improving patient survival.
How similar studies have performed: While the role of epigenetics in cancer is an active area of research, this specific focus on KMT2D's impact on the pancreatic tumor microenvironment and activin A expression represents a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shi, Jiaqi — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Shi, Jiaqi
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.