[Aims] Pancreatic cancer is a severe disease that can lead to death within a few month in many patients. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a difficult cancer to treat. Recent research has shown that PDAC has different subtypes, each with different characteristics that affect the way the cancer grows and responds to treatment. These differences are due to changes in the cancer’s genetic makeup. Understanding these changes can lead to better treatment strategies based on a patient’s subtype, which is known as precision medicine.
[Rationale] The Clinical Research Unit (CRU 5002) at the University Medical Center Göttingen aims to understand how genetic changes drive subtype-specificity in PDAC. The unit will use advanced tumor models and sequencing technologies to study seven different projects related to PDAC subtypes.
Unfortunately, there are not many datasets available documenting Pancreatic cancer in huge cohorts.The UK Biobank data set could help to widen our local data sets. Our team will also compare their findings to data from a large group of PDAC patients in the UK Biobank.
This comparison will help them find therapies specific to each subtype and improve treatment outcomes for future patients.
[Expected duration of project] the overall project will take 36 month, as it includes studies on mouse models and cell lines as well additional to the here described data projects.
[public health impact] Pancreatic cancer currently accounts for about 5% of all cancer deaths. The risk to die of pancreatic cancer will rise over the next years, So understanding the risk factors leading to pancreatic cancer and finding the correct treatment for each kind of pancreatic cancer is very important for society and for public health.
Overall, this research is important for improving treatment strategies for PDAC patients and advancing precision medicine.
