Scientists in Toronto have created a tiny, living 3-D organ model of pancreatic ducts to help them conduct research on pancreatic cancer – one of the deadliest and least understood of all cancers. This innovative 3-D organ model could lead to new ways to detect and treat pancreatic cancer, which has a very poor survival rate with only about 6 per cent of patients surviving five years after diagnosis.
Pancreatic cancer patients have a poor prognosis because the cancer causes few symptoms until it’s in a late, untreatable stage. It is also particularly aggressive, spreading more quickly than many other types of cancer. Scientists know very little about what causes it and it remains one of the least funded and studied cancers.
With a $200,000 Innovation Grant from the Canadian Cancer Society, Dr Senthil Muthuswamy will use the 3-D biological model he created to unravel the mystery of how pancreatic cancer begins to develop deep within the organ’s duct system. Using thousands of the tiny 3-D models in petri dishes in his lab, Dr Muthuswamy and his team at Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital will use genetic manipulation to recreate the events that lead to cancer formation in the pancreas. The researchers will add genes, hormones, and other agents to see what causes the cells to mutate into cancerous lesions. In patients, unfortunately, these lesions progress very quickly to late stage pancreatic cancer.
Dr Muthuswamy said, “In most biological cancer research, we grow and study cells in a flat layer, like a lawn, in a petri dish. But cells don’t exist in our bodies like that. They exist as 3-D tubes and vessels, so if you study them in a flat layer, you will not be able to ask all the right questions. These models are much more realistic, much closer to what actually happens in our bodies.”
Dr Muthuswamy and his team will use the 3-D models to observe the different stages of disease. He hopes this will lead to identification of new biological markers to detect and diagnose pancreatic cancer early (similar to the way high cholesterol points to a higher risk of heart disease).
“We are excited about this powerful discovery because it’s going to set the stage for identifying new biomarkers and treatments for pancreatic cancer,” says Dr Muthuswamy.
Dr Mary Argent-Katwala, Director of Research at the Canadian Cancer Society says, “There is a huge need for more research because pancreatic cancer is one of the most understudied and deadly cancers. We are eager to be funding Dr Muthuswamy’s work, which will provide valuable information on understanding how pancreatic cancer develops so it can be diagnosed earlier and treated more effectively. Moreover, this exciting new model will help researchers around the globe in their work on pancreatic cancer.”
The Canadian Cancer Society announced 28 new innovation grants. This is the Canadian Cancer Society’s second round of innovation grant funding. The goal of this new programme is to support unconventional concepts, approaches or methodologies to address problems in cancer research. All 28 new projects include elements of creativity, curiosity, investigation, exploration and opportunity. The projects were ranked according to their potential for ‘high reward’ – to significantly impact our understanding of cancer and generate new approaches to combat the disease by introducing novel ideas into use or practice.
As competition for grant funding increases worldwide, peer review panels have become more conservative and risk-averse, emphasising feasibility more than innovation. It is hoped this grant programme will accelerate the introduction of innovation into the entire cancer research system and contribute to the scientific idea pipeline. Grant budgets may be up to $100,000 per year and a maximum of $200,000 per grant. Funding is provided to support the direct costs of research, including supplies, salaries, and equipment associated with the proposed work.
EP News Bureau
