The project
This proposal asks a fundamental question: does tumour survival depend not on a single dominant cell population, but on organised cooperation between specialised cancer cell sub-populations? Dr Yuta Ikami will test whether pancreatic tumours function as cooperating cellular systems in which resilience emerges from interactions between distinct subpopulations, rather than from the intrinsic strength of any single clone.
What are they going to do?
Yuta will map where specialised cancer cells sit within tumours. He will identify where two cooperating subclonal populations are located within pancreatic tumours, how they are spatially organised, and whether they share a common origin or evolved independently. Then, test whether cooperation helps tumours survive treatment. He will investigate whether signals exchanged between these specialised subclones help maintain the population even when key oncogenic drivers are inhibited. Then, test a new treatment strategy. This will determine whether blocking this cooperative communication using available drugs improves therapeutic response.
Why is this research important?
If tumour resilience comes from cooperation between specialised cancer cell populations, then targeting a single pathway may not be enough. Effective treatment may require disrupting the network of interactions between cooperating cells. This represents a new way of thinking about how pancreatic cancer survives therapy and how it might be treated.
How to get involved
This research opportunity id open to anyone affected by pancreatic cancer including patients, survivors, carers and loved ones
No scientific background or prior experience is needed to take part in this opportunity.
Next steps
This involves reading their document and answering some questions on it. This is completed anonymously and electronically. If you are interested in taking part please email the Research Team (research@pancreaticcancer.org.uk) quoting the involvement reference ‘Ikami document review’
