Why ERK helps KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer grow
Official title: Mechanistic Basis for ERK in driving KRAS-dependent pancreatic cancer
Funded at Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences · NIH-11381558 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a cell signaling protein called ERK helps KRAS-mutant pancreatic tumors grow, aiming to find new ways to stop them for people with pancreatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $166,845 |
| NIH project number | 5R00CA276700-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381558 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, especially those whose tumors carry KRAS mutations, would be most relevant to the findings and any future clinical work stemming from this project.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without KRAS-mutant tumors or those with unrelated conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are using laboratory approaches to find exactly how ERK signaling keeps KRAS-driven pancreatic tumors alive and resistant to treatment. They will use modern gene-editing tools (like CRISPR) and tumor models to turn genes on or off and see which ones control ERK-driven growth. The team will study why drugs that target KRAS or the ERK pathway often stop working and look for new molecular weak points to target. The goal is to point toward safer, more effective combination therapies that could prevent relapse.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new drug targets or combination strategies that make KRAS-directed treatments work longer and reduce tumor relapse in pancreatic cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Some KRASG12C drugs have produced strong tumor shrinkage in a subset of patients, but resistance commonly returns and ERK-pathway targeting has so far shown limited success because of toxicity and treatment escape.
Where this research is happening
-
Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences
East Lansing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Klomp, Jennifer E — Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Klomp, Jennifer E
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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.