About the project
Quantifying the expression levels of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) in frozen tissue samples of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma represents a promising avenue for investigating their potential as biomarkers for this disease. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a highly aggressive form of cancer with limited diagnostic and prognostic markers. HERVs, remnants of ancient retroviral infections integrated into the human genome, have been implicated in various diseases, including cancers. By examining the expression levels of specific HERV elements in pancreatic adenocarcinoma tissue, researchers can assess their potential association with the disease and evaluate their utility as biomarkers. If correlations between HERV expression and disease progression or response to treatment are established, HERVs could serve as non-invasive diagnostic tools for early detection, monitoring treatment efficacy, and predicting patient outcomes. Furthermore, unravelling the underlying mechanisms through which HERVs contribute to pancreatic adenocarcinoma may pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies targeting these elements. Therefore, quantifying HERV expression levels in pancreatic adenocarcinoma frozen tissue holds significant promise for improving the diagnosis, management, and understanding of this challenging disease.
Funding
This work is funded by the Health Innovation and Wellbeing Community.
Contact
For further information contact the Principal Investigator Dr. Adele McCormick at [email protected].