Pancreatic cancer is among the most aggressive and deadly cancers because it often develops silently and goes unnoticed until it reaches an advanced stage, making early detection difficult and treatment challenging. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), supportive cells found near tumors, are thought to play a major role in helping pancreatic cancer cells grow and survive, but how they do this is not fully understood. One way these cells communicate is by releasing extracellular vesicles (EVs), tiny membrane-bound particles that carry proteins and other molecular signals from one cell to another. For my project, I will study how EVs are exchanged between pancreatic cancer cells and CAFs and whether this signaling changes the behavior of either cell type. I will isolate EVs from pancreatic cancer cells and expose CAFs to them, and then do the reverse (introducing CAF-derived EVs to cancer cells) to see how each cell type responds. Using nano-flow cytometry (CytoFLEX Nano), I will analyze the EVs for key biomarkers and compare results between single cultures, co-cultures, and patient-derived organoid models. The goal is to better understand this EV-based communication, which could provide new insight into how pancreatic tumors develop and potentially lead to earlier detection or new treatment strategies in the future.
Northeastern University
