Understanding the Metastasis of Pancreatic Tumor Cells

What biomedical issue did you address in your research, and what did your studies find?

My Ph.D. research addressed a central issue in understanding pancreatic cancer: how molecular signals in the tumor microenvironment drive the early spread of cells. The metastasis of cells is one aspect that makes pancreatic cancer so difficult to treat. My research investigated how a pro-inflammatory molecule secreted by tumor-associated immune cells activates a signaling pathway that eventually switches on genes that promote cancer cell migration.

We used single-cell RNA sequencing of human pancreatic tumors to uncover how cancer cells interact with immune cells, particularly macrophages. In the lab, we modeled the tumor microenvironment by stimulating pancreatic cancer cells with signaling molecules, mimicking inflammatory, and growth cues. We applied gene expression analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (known as ChIP-seq) and live-cell migration assays to study how these signals influence gene regulation and cellular behavior. Then, in preclinical models, we tested how glucocorticoids, drugs already used in pancreatic cancer care, might be repurposed to block this signaling convergence and reduce metastasis.

Our findings revealed a cooperative mechanism between inflammatory and growth pathways, and also identified specific transcription factors that bind together, activating genes linked to cell movement and invasion. We showed that this convergence drives pancreatic cancer aggressiveness, and our publications are currently under review. Importantly, we found that glucocorticoid receptor activation disrupted this transcriptional program, leading to reduced cancer cell migration and liver metastasis in vivo, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy using existing drugs more strategically.

What aspects of Mayo's culture helped you grow as a scientist and as a thinker?

Outside the lab, I made close friendships with Ph.D. students across departments. Through journal clubs, collaborative discussions, and casual conversations, I learned about research in other cancer types, machine learning, and even community engagement strategies in public health. These interactions pushed me to ask broader questions and value interdisciplinary thinking.

What's next?

I came to Mayo driven by curiosity and a passion for cancer biology, but am leaving with a broader, more holistic view of what it means to be a scientist, one who is grounded in rigor, community and real-world impact. My experiences helped clarify my long-term goal: to establish a cancer research lab in Ghana, where I can study tumor-microenvironment interactions in African populations and help advance biomarker-driven therapies. I'm especially interested in using epigenetics and tumor adaptation research to inform more personalized, equitable cancer care. Mayo gave me the tools to lead, the community to grow with and the inspiration to pursue science with both excellence and heart.