# Development and Application of a Porcine Model of Pancreatic Cancer

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $629,962

## Abstract

“Development and Application of a Porcine Model of Pancreatic Cancer”
 PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The long-term goal of this research is to develop a platform on which experimental therapies for pancreatic
cancer can be advanced to the clinic in a more efficient manner than achievable with current preclinical
pancreatic cancer models. The focused objective of this R01 application is to develop a genetically-defined,
autochthonous model of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in immunocompetent pigs, provide some validation data
with respect to gross behavior, microscopy, tumor markers, genetic sequence, and transcription, and determine
the model's utility for image-guided surgery. Tumors will be induced by local targeting of genes known to be
associated with pancreatic cancer (namely, KRAS, p53, SMAD4, and CDKN2A), using a combination of
transgenic subjects (the NSRRC Onco-pig), lentiviral-mediated in vivo gene transfer, and tumorigenic ductal
cell implantation. Some murine models have failed to reflect human tumor biology because of differences in
physiology, anatomy, and genetic sequence with humans. So, the rationale to build a porcine model of
pancreatic cancer is that it should be more predictive of human tumor biology and response to therapy than
murine models are, because swine have greater genetic and phenotypic homology with humans. The hypothesis
of this R01 application is that forced expression of relevant mutant genes or transplanted tumorigenic
pancreatic cells within the porcine pancreas will produce pancreatic tumors, and that this tumor model will be
clinically relevant and useful. The utility of the model will be demonstrated with a comparative trial of reagents
for Fluorescence Image-Guided Surgery, in experiments that would not be possible in the mouse. The work
proposed in this R01 application will be accomplished through a collaborative team consisting of a
general/oncologic surgeon (PI), a biomedical engineer with experience in molecule design, two
molecular/cellular biologists with expertise in pancreatic cancer and gene editing, a medical oncologist who
manages patients with pancreatic cancer, a pathologist specializing in pancreatic/GI cancers, sequencing and
bioinformatics experts, and a biostatistician. This project is innovative because no large animal model of
pancreatic cancer exists. The impact of a validated porcine model of pancreatic cancer would be to enhance,
complement, and supplement preclinical data from other tumor models, and also to advance experimental
anti-tumor therapies to the clinic in a more efficient manner, with fewer experimental therapies failing in
clinical trials. In addition, a porcine model of pancreatic cancer could advance the design and development of
minimally invasive catheters and energy sources used to ablate pancreatic tumors, and also to develop and/or
improve techniques to detect, image, diagnose, and monitor these tumors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9891972
- **Project number:** 5R01CA222907-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** MARK A CARLSON
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $629,962
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-04-01 → 2022-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9891972

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9891972, Development and Application of a Porcine Model of Pancreatic Cancer (5R01CA222907-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9891972. Licensed CC0.

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