University of Maryland Gemstone Honors Research Program
Team SCALPOL is an interdisciplinary undergraduate research group focused on exploring the potential of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived therapies to target and slow the migration of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs). Passionate about advancing cancer research, the team works on better understanding how we can leverage MSC-derived factors to understand and combat tumor progression.
Background
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Pancreatic Cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., with an average 5-year survival rate of just 13% (Siegel et al., 2024).'
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Endocrine Pancreatic Cancer (EPC) is caused by pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs), leading to hormone imbalances, severe stomach ulcers, kidney stones, and other tumors.
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Current treatments are not very effective, with surgery being the only curative option, but it is high-risk and not viable for late-stage cancer. There are limited stem cell treatment options for pNETs.
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Research
Research Questions: Can we engineer a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived therapy to slow the migration of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs)?
Research Objective:
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Test our hypothesis through in vitro experiments involving the development of pNET models and applications of MSC derived factors
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Produce a method to slow the spread and proliferation of pNETs, assessing the effects of the MSC-derived therapy
Support Team SCALPOL’s Research Journey!
Donate At: https://launch.umd.edu/project/44840