The Lustgarten Foundation-Swim Across America-AACR Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Research Grant represents a joint effort to support innovative research to advance efforts towards the early detection and interception of pancreatic cancer

2024 Grantee

Research

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive disease with limited diagnostic and therapeutic options. Abnormal inflammation and tissue repair processes often cooperate with activated oncogenes to promote tumor initiation, progression, and immune escape. The proposed research aims to elucidate the immunological dynamics and spatial correlates of PDAC initiation, focusing on the pathogenic interplay between a recently described subset of IL-1b-expressing tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and pancreatic cancer cells. By integrating advanced molecular analyses in patients with pre-neoplastic lesions of the pancreas with mechanistic experiments in preclinical models, this proposal aims to assist the development of diagnostic methods and immune-based strategies for prevention and early interception of PDAC.

Biography

Dr. Ostuni is an associate professor of tissue biology at San Raffaele Institute in Milan (Italy) whose research interests lie at the interface of immunology, genomics, cancer biology, and gene therapy. Throughout his career, Dr. Ostuni has made substantial contributions to our understanding of regulatory principles underlying the development and function of innate immune cells – such as macrophages and neutrophils – during homeostasis and cancer. His research has been published in top scientific journals and has received major international recognitions. Dr. Ostuni actively engages in public outreach and scientific communication projects and has made multiple appearances on national television and radio shows.

Acknowledgment of Support

“I am honored and thrilled to receive the Lustgarten Foundation-Swim Across America-AACR Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Research Grant. This recognition will not only support our best research – it will foster exchange and collaborative interactions with AACR fellows, ultimately resulting in scientific discoveries for the benefit of pancreatic cancer patients.”

2023 Grantee

Research

Due to the lack of adequate diagnostic modalities (e.g., serum CA19-9 and imaging tools), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is often diagnosed at a late stage. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) contains epigenetic information, including 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). They are potentially powerful biomarkers of cancer development because they are chemically stable and abundant in the genome. They display aberrant epigenetic alterations that occur earlier in cancer development and in cancer-specific ways. Dr. Goel is set to perform LABS-seq and nano-hmC-Seal to probe 5mC and 5hmC epigenetic alterations in cfDNA, respectively, among patients with early-stage (stage I/II) PDAC and non-disease controls. Using advanced computational analyses of genome-wide methylation sequencing data, he seeks to identify specific diagnostic 5mC/5hmC biomarkers from circulating cfDNA for the early detection of PDAC.

Biography

Dr. Goel received his PhD in biophysics from Punjab University, completed his postgraduate work at the University of California San Diego, and went on to a 16-year career at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute in Texas. He joined City of Hope in June 2019 as founding chair of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics and founding director of Biotech Innovations at Beckman Research Institute.

Acknowledgement of Support

This grant will allow our research group to move forward with an early detection strategy that has potential for major impact on patients. My hope is that a PCR test based on this research will someday become a part of regular physicals, detecting PDAC years earlier and saving lives.