PANCREAS CANCER PROGRAM

Abstract public domain (NIH RePORTER)

The Pancreas Cancer Program comprises a multi-disciplinary group of investigators focused on pancreatic cancer of either endocrine or ductal origin (PDAC). These investigators include a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and clinical scientists in endocrinology, gastroenterology, medical oncology, radiation oncology and surgical oncology who are poised to address critical issues in pancreatic cancer, with full integration of faculty in basic and population sciences. The scientific goals of the program are to: Understand the genetic and environmental factors that influence risk for PDAC and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor development. Understand the genetic and biologic events occurring early in pancreas cancer, with a view to developing better diagnostic tools. Understand the factors that promote progression of pancreas cancer, with a special emphasis on PDAC stroma and the biology of invasion and metastasis. Understand the basis of chemotherapy resistance and sensitivity in PDAC and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Develop new paradigms and model systems to evaluate the role of specific genes in the initiation and progression of these cancers. Use such model systems to evaluate new targeted therapeutics, either alone or in combination with conventional cytotoxic agents, in the treatment of PDAC and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. The program includes 15 members from 8 departments in the School of Medicine. The Program has $2,444,680 Total peer reviewed support for the last budget year. The Program has 8% intra-programmatic and 34% inter-programmatic publications.