Understanding paracrine signals in pancreatic cancer to improve drug delivery
Official title: Elucidation and targeting of paracrine cascades in PDAC
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11411417 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-focused look at how the tumor’s signaling networks affect treatment delivery in pancreatic cancer and how targeting these networks could help therapies reach tumors more effectively.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $985,518 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA274312-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11411417 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma whose tumors show dense stromal features and desmoplasia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not depend on the identified paracrine cascades may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores how paracrine signaling cascades in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma influence the tumor environment and drug delivery. By studying the interactions between stromal cells, immune components, and cancer cells, researchers aim to identify combination targets that could enhance therapy effectiveness. The approach includes analyzing human-relevant models to map cascading signals and test how blocking or modulating these pathways might improve treatment reach and safety for patients. Results could guide future therapies that work better in patients whose tumors are hard to treat due to desmoplastic barriers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective pancreatic cancer treatments by overcoming barriers that limit drug delivery to tumors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that stromal signaling can both suppress and support tumor growth; this study seeks to map cascades to identify broad-impact targets, which is promising but still exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Olive, Kenneth P. — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Olive, Kenneth P.
Related research
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Reprogramming PDAC stroma by targeting blood clotting in the tumor environment
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Collagen and PDAC: how the tumor’s surrounding support system shapes growth and immunity
This grant looks at how collagen in pancreatic cancer interacts with tumor cells and the immune system to influence disease progression.
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.