Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute awarded a $168,000 Project Grant to Albert Einstein College of Medicine under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) for the period April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. The grant supports research to elucidate the mechanisms of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) dormancy and minimal residual disease (MRD), with particular focus on identifying and validating therapeutic targets. The research will investigate the role of two key regulators—Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 2 Group F Member 1 (NR2F1) and RNA-like ER Kinase (PERK)—in mediating dormancy of disseminated tumor cells in both murine and human models, with the objective of developing targeted interventions to curtail metastatic relapse and improve patient survival outcomes.

The project deliverables include mechanistic studies determining whether circulating and disseminated PDAC cells express NR2F1 and activate the PERK pathway, as well as efficacy assessments of pharmacological approaches targeting these pathways to prevent or reverse the dormancy phenotype. Research activities will be conducted at the awardee's facility in the Bronx, New York, contributing to the Cancer Treatment Research program's mission to develop improved cancer treatment methods and reduce disease progression in patients with limited prognoses despite current multimodal therapeutic approaches.