Pancreatic Cancer

Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory

The Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory at CSHL, led by David Tuveson, M.D., Ph.D. is centered on early detection, drug development and drug delivery. The research will focus initially on three key aspects of pancreatic cancer:

• Developing ways to detect pancreatic cancer early—The presence of cancer in the pancreas causes changes in a person’s system that may be detected in bodily fluids, such as blood or urine.  These changes will be identified so that they can be used to routinely test patients for the presence of pancreatic cancer in its earliest stages.
• Identifying new targets for drug development—New pathways will be explored that could potentially uncover new therapeutic approaches for drug development to kill and eliminate pancreatic cancers.
• Using more effective approaches to deliver drugs directly to pancreatic cancers—Existing research shows that pancreatic tumors are difficult to penetrate with chemotherapy, so new methods will be developed to ensure that the chemotherapy reaches the tumor for more effective treatment.

In addition to directing the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory at CSHL, Dr. Tuveson is also the Director of Research for the Lustgarten Foundation. In this capacity, he oversees the development of fundable research and works with the Foundation’s Pancreatic Cancer Research Consortium of six, world-renowned medical institutions to identify, prioritize and develop targeted research aimed at ultimately finding a cure for this deadly disease.