Why some pancreatic cancers become dependent on a sugar-processing enzyme called PGD
Official title: The Evolution of PGD Addiction in Human Pancreatic Cancer
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11226794 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether stopping a sugar-processing enzyme called PGD can keep pancreatic cancer cells from growing and spreading.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2018 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $351,131 |
| NIH project number | 2R01CA222594-08A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11226794 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer, especially those with liver metastases, would be the patients most likely to be relevant for this research and future clinical trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage, localized pancreatic cancer or people with unrelated health conditions are less likely to see direct benefits from this specific work in the near term.
What this research studies
This project studies how pancreatic cancer cells use sugar to turn on an enzyme called PGD that helps tumors grow and seed new sites like the liver. Scientists will analyze tumor samples collected from patients, grow cancer cells in 3-D lab models that mimic human tissue, and test mechanisms in genetically engineered mouse models. The team will focus on how cancer cells increase sugar import and how that activates PGD and other growth-promoting enzymes. Understanding these steps could reveal new targets to block the rapid metastatic growth that makes pancreatic cancer so deadly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that block sugar-driven growth and slow or stop metastatic pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Other research that targets cancer metabolism has shown promise in lab and animal models, but directly targeting PGD in metastatic pancreatic cancer is a newer, largely preclinical approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdonald, Oliver Gene — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Mcdonald, Oliver Gene
Related research
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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.