MSK achieved a new level of distinction in 2022, becoming only the fourth institution in the country to receive funding as a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in pancreatic cancer. SPORE grants are a centerpiece of the National Cancer Institute’s promotion of collaborative translational cancer research. They emphasize work that stands to meaningfully impact clinical practice in the near future.

Co-led by Eileen O’Reilly, MD, and Christine Iacobuzio-Donahue, MD, PhD, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary research team, the MSK pancreatic cancer SPORE is focused on improving outcomes for people with locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer — patients who have the fewest treatment options. More details on the SPORE can be found here: https://trp.cancer.gov/spores/abstracts/mskcc_pancreas.htm

Break Through Cancer (BTC), a foundation that supports groundbreaking cancer research, is creating a series of transformative projects run out of collaborative “TeamLabs.” These groups are designed to change the story — catalyzing new, highly effective therapies that reach patients quickly. CPCR investigators are involved in two BTC-funded projects. Details on BTC Pancreatic Cancer Projects can be found here: https://breakthroughcancer.org/projects/pancreatic-cancer/