The project
Dr Maryam Naeem wants to find about cell biology of pancreatic cancer through molecular characterization to probe proteins whose expression altered at early stage and that can further be targeted therapeutically with increase survival rate. As belonging to a class of tumours that lack immune cells, it’s an highly deadly and asymptomatic cancer so early detection with reliable markers are essential for diagnosis and survival. these markers must be common in every subclass of tumour so they need to be specific about cancer cells and how they communicate with surroundings and molecular pathways that are crucial for it so they will formulate a panel of genes that act as drivers of cancer development and progression.
What are you going to do?
They will take FNA-EUS samples of different stages of Pancreatic cancer patients along with their history (histopath and risk factors) and do whole genome sequencing to probe common genes that are altered in different stages of pancreatic cancer and make a panel for each stage to characterise them properly then they will do expression analysis using patient derived primary cell culture (organoid) and xenografts to probe effect of drugs and phytochemicals (online data available) on cells at different stages and then do indepth molecular analysis to find genes common in panels and that could be target therapeutically and present at early stages
Why is this research important?
As a researcher in the field of cancer biology, Dr Naeem understands that cancer if diagnosed and treated early is curable. and as her was mother lost to this deadly disease, she is very serious about finding genes that could be used commonly for diagnosis and target therapeutically. with low median survival rate and poor life after recovery, it is very essential to diagnose early irrespective of subclass of pancreatic cancer so molecular characterization on large scale of only FNA-EUS cancer cells rather than heterogenous mass so she can find biomarkers that are definite of pancreatic cancer and through drug repurposing we can cure it without surgery
How do I get involved?
Maryam would like individuals with lived experience of pancreatic cancer to join a virtual focus group to hear updates on her project and give feedback on its progression or to answer a questionnaire.
No scientific background or prior experience is needed to take part in this opportunity.
Next steps
If you are interested in joining this group or would like more information, please email Maryam (maryamnaeem@bs.qau.edu.pk) quoting the involvement reference ‘RIN focus group’.
