Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Brigham & Women's Hospital Inc. received a $730,898 Project Grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to conduct research on the role of NR5A2 in pancreas health and disease. The award, made on July 10, 2026, with completion targeted for April 30, 2031, supports fundamental and translational research aimed at understanding the regulatory mechanisms by which the NR5A2 transcription factor governs acinar cell identity and its therapeutic potential in preventing pancreatic disease progression. The research addresses the disruption of acinar cell identity that occurs during acute pancreatitis and in pancreatic cancer development, with particular focus on acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and the potential of NR5A2 pharmacologic agonism as a targeted therapeutic intervention.

The project delivers investigator-initiated biomedical research that aligns with the NIDDK programmatic portfolio in fundamental studies on etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of pancreatic and metabolic diseases. Research outputs will advance understanding of how acinar cell stress responses—whether from inflammatory pancreatitis or oncogenic mutations—subvert critical gene regulatory networks and establish disease vulnerability, with implications for developing novel therapeutic approaches to a disease (pancreatic cancer) ranked among the most lethal malignancies. The funding supports core research infrastructure, scientific personnel, and experimental activities conducted at the hospital's Boston, Massachusetts facility.