Understanding Pancreatic Cancer's Aggressive Forms
Exploring the epigenetic control of pancreatic cancer subtypes
This research aims to find new ways to treat a very aggressive type of pancreatic cancer by understanding how its genes are controlled.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136884 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Pancreatic cancer is a very difficult disease to treat, especially an aggressive form called quasi-mesenchymal (QM) subtype, which has a poor outlook. Current treatments often don't work well for these patients. Our team is looking into how certain genetic switches, called epigenetic regulators, might be turned off in QM pancreatic cancer, making it more aggressive. We believe that by understanding these switches, particularly one called SIRT6, we can develop new, more effective treatments for this challenging cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is most relevant to patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, particularly those with the aggressive quasi-mesenchymal subtype.
Not a fit: Patients with other types of cancer or those whose pancreatic cancer does not exhibit the quasi-mesenchymal subtype may not directly benefit from this specific therapeutic approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new targeted therapies specifically for the aggressive quasi-mesenchymal subtype of pancreatic cancer, improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Preliminary data and recent findings in mouse models suggest that the epigenetic regulator SIRT6 acts as a tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer, indicating a promising direction for this novel therapeutic strategy.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kugel, Sita — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Kugel, Sita
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.