Kathleen DelGiorno, MD, PhD
Lipid nanoparticle RNA therapies targeting KRAS and SLC7A11
Nearly all cases of pancreatic cancer are caused by mutation of the KRAS gene, which alters many cellular functions including metabolism. Blocking uptake of cystine by the metabolite transporter SLC7A11 has been shown to efficiently kill pancreatic cancer cells. With Sky Foundation’s help, Dr. DelGiorno — an expert in pancreatic tumorigenesis — and Dr. Nidhi Jyotsana, a bioengineer and cancer biologist, are combining RNA-targeting strategies with biocompatible lipid nanoparticles to directly target KRAS and SLC7A11 gene expression.
RNA-based therapies were long treated with hesitancy, but lipid nanoparticle-RNA technology has come of age — the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, built on it, was administered to more than 150 million Americans. The goal is safe, effective LNP-RNA strategies for pancreatic cancer patients.
Dr. Kathy DelGiorno is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at Vanderbilt University. She is an Air Force veteran and a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, where she studied Biology. She holds a Master’s in Pharmacy from the University of Florida and a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology from Stony Brook University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pancreatic cancer research at the Salk Institute. With over 14 years in the field, her Vanderbilt program combines RNA-sequencing approaches with ultrastructural microscopy and genetically engineered mouse models to understand pancreatic tumor formation and progression.
Seed grants start at $50,000 — awarded by scientists, reported on annually.
Donate →Kathleen DelGiorno, MD, PhD
Lipid nanoparticle RNA therapies targeting KRAS and SLC7A11
Nearly all cases of pancreatic cancer are caused by mutation of the KRAS gene, which alters many cellular functions including metabolism. Blocking uptake of cystine by the metabolite transporter SLC7A11 has been shown to efficiently kill pancreatic cancer cells. With Sky Foundation’s help, Dr. DelGiorno — an expert in pancreatic tumorigenesis — and Dr. Nidhi Jyotsana, a bioengineer and cancer biologist, are combining RNA-targeting strategies with biocompatible lipid nanoparticles to directly target KRAS and SLC7A11 gene expression.
RNA-based therapies were long treated with hesitancy, but lipid nanoparticle-RNA technology has come of age — the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, built on it, was administered to more than 150 million Americans. The goal is safe, effective LNP-RNA strategies for pancreatic cancer patients.
Dr. Kathy DelGiorno is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at Vanderbilt University. She is an Air Force veteran and a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, where she studied Biology. She holds a Master’s in Pharmacy from the University of Florida and a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology from Stony Brook University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pancreatic cancer research at the Salk Institute. With over 14 years in the field, her Vanderbilt program combines RNA-sequencing approaches with ultrastructural microscopy and genetically engineered mouse models to understand pancreatic tumor formation and progression.
Seed grants start at $50,000 — awarded by scientists, reported on annually.
Donate →