The project
This project investigates tiny particles in patients’ blood called extracellular vesicles, to uncover lipid, protein, and metabolic markers of pancreatic cancer. By combining blood analysis with tumour organoid models, it aims to improve early detection, monitoring, and understanding of how cancer metabolism drives disease progression.
What are you going to do?
Dr Erika Dorado will extract extracellular vesicles from the blood samples of pancreatic cancer patients and analyse their lipids, proteins, and metabolites using mass spectrometry and bioinformatics to identify cancer-specific markers. In parallel, she will use pancreatic cancer organoids to study lipid and glucose metabolism in pancreatic cancer.
Why is this research important?
Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed late, when treatment options are limited. This research aims to develop a simple blood test for earlier detection and better disease monitoring, while revealing how tumour metabolism drives cancer progression. These insights could lead to more personalized treatments, improved outcomes, and new prevention strategies for patients.
How to get involved
This research opportunity id open to anyone affected by pancreatic cancer including patients, survivors, carers and loved ones. In addition to a document review, Dr Dorado would also be interested in having a one-hour call/interview with participants to learn about their experience, or the experience of their loved ones, with the pancreatic cancer detection process, including the techniques used and the treatment received. She would also like to talk about my research and the technologies she is developing.
No scientific background or prior experience is needed to take part in this opportunity.
Next steps
Undertake a document review: If you are interested in taking part in the document review please email the Research Team (research@pancreaticcancer.org.uk) quoting the involvement reference ‘Dorado document review’.
Have a 1:1 discussion with Dr Dorado: If you are interested in talking to Erika, please email her (e.dorado-montezuma17@imperial.ac.uk) quoting the involvement reference ‘Dorado document review’.
