U54CA274329

Pancreatic Cancer Artnet Center - Abstract

Pancreatic cancer patients show an extremely poor prognosis, which is at least in part due to poor response to the current standard-of-care chemotherapies. While pancreatic tumors present an inadequate response to chemotherapy, exposure to chemotherapy leads to the development of acquired resistance. The response and resistance to chemotherapies are modulated by signaling and metabolic alterations in tumor cells and companion changes in the immune and non-immune stroma.

Major advances in understanding signaling responses of cancer cells and stroma to therapy, understanding metabolic adaptations to signaling and environmental stressors, development of novel therapeutic combinations to improve long-term response to current standards-of-care chemotherapies, and coordinating research/translation efforts by NCI leadership, will provide unparalleled advances in targeting/preventing acquired therapy resistance.

The Artnet Center for Pancreatic Cancer (ACPC) intends to achieve these objectives through an integrated research theme that combines investigations into the metabolic and signaling mediators of acquired resistance in tumor cells and stromal remodeling in pancreatic cancer. This will lead to novel effective therapies to improve the patient prognosis. Research within ACPC will be fostered through sound guidance from leadership, IAC, EAC, Artnet network, and NCI program.

The overall goal of the center is to study innovative hypothesis-driven mechanisms of metabolic and signaling alterations in tumor cells and tumor-stromal metabolic crosstalk that contribute to acquired therapy resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We hypothesize that our unique leadership team, outstanding expertise of project and core leaders, singular set of technological capabilities and resources, operational design, and strong institutional support of the ACPC will drive transformative advances in the acquired therapy resistance field that will be in alignment with the other Artnet members and NCI's mission for the program.

Providing novel insights into the mechanistic aspects of the signaling and metabolic mechanisms, the proposed basic and translational studies will ultimately drive the development of novel therapeutic combinations that can change the clinical course of cancer therapy. This will be achieved through the following specific aims:

Aim 1. Investigate novel mechanisms of acquired resistance at the interface of tumor-stromal metabolic crosstalk and examine the preclinical efficacy of identified targets to improve the therapeutic response against pancreatic cancer.

Aim 2. Provide robust and innovative toolsets and resources to investigate and validate mechanisms of acquired therapy resistance.

Aim 3. Facilitate a systems-level mechanistic understanding of acquired therapy resistance mechanisms.

University Of Oklahoma

TO PROVIDE AN ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS AND STIMULUS FOR THE HIGHEST QUALITY CANCER RESEARCH THAT EFFECTIVELY PROMOTES INTERDISCIPLINARY CANCER RESEARCH AIMED TOWARD THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF REDUCING CANCER INCIDENCE, MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY. THE CANCER CENTER SUPPORT GRANT (CCSG) PROVIDES THE RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO FACILITATE THE COORDINATION OF INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS ACROSS A BROAD SPECTRUM OF RESEARCH FROM BASIC LABORATORY RESEARCH TO CLINICAL INVESTIGATION TO POPULATION SCIENCE. THE CCSG SUPPORTS SALARIES FOR SCIENTIFIC LEADERSHIP OF THE CENTER, SHARED RESOURCES FOR FUNDED CENTER INVESTIGATORS, CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, PLANNING AND EVALUATION, AND DEVELOPMENTAL FUNDS FOR NEW RECRUITMENTS AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES.

93.397 - Cancer Centers Support Grants

National Cancer Institute (NCI) [HHS - NIH]

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104 United States

Single Zip Code

Acquired Resistance to Therapy Network (ARTNet; U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (RFA-CA-21-052)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 205% from $1,284,334 to $3,914,814.