# Ultrasenstive vesicle analysis in precancerous pancreatic neoplasm (IPMN)

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2022 · $376,614

## Abstract

The detection of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN), precancerous lesions of the pancreas, is
rising due to the increasing use of high-resolution cross-sectional imaging. These cystic neoplasms have been
shown to evolve from low-grade dysplasia to high-grade dysplasia to invasive carcinoma and are believed to
account for 20-30% of all pancreatic cancers. The management of patients with some forms of IPMN remains
controversial because current technologies are unable to reliably distinguish between low and high risk IPMN.
There is therefore a need to develop better tools to facilitate the management of controversial lesions. The goal
of this proposal is to develop and test an ultra-sensitive DEST method for profiling circulating extracellular vesicles
(EV) shed by high risk IPMN. Specifically, we propose to i) develop and validate new marker sets relevant for IPMN
progression at unprecedented sensitivities (aim 1) and ii) expand and rigorously test the approach for point-of-care
analyses in prospectively collected clinical samples (aim 2). We hypothesize that highly sensitive EV analysis will
shed valuable light on biomarker composition in IPMN, a necessary prerequisite to identify high risk lesions and
early PDAC. The proposed DEST method has the potential to transform IPMN/early PDAC cancer research and
clinical practice.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10403494
- **Project number:** 5R01CA237332-03
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** RALPH WEISSLEDER, MD, PhD
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $376,614
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10403494

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10403494, Ultrasenstive vesicle analysis in precancerous pancreatic neoplasm (IPMN) (5R01CA237332-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10403494. Licensed CC0.

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