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We use the device to hit the primary tumor hard,” said Dr. Jen Jen Yeh. “There is so little systemic toxicity that it leaves room to administer additional drugs against cancer cells that may have spread in the rest of the bod|Joseph M. DeSimone, PhD, is the Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences and William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at NC State University

February 8, 2016

Device hits pancreatic tumors hard with toxic four-drug cocktail, sparing the body

A new implantable device delivers first-line treatment for pancreatic cancer directly to tumors, bypassing bloodstream and limiting widespread side effects. A team of researchers from the University of North Carolina including Drs. Jen Jen Yeh and Joseph DeSimone, has shown in preclinical research that the device can deliver a particularly toxic dose of drugs directly to pancreatic tumors to stunt their growth or, in some cases, shrink them. This approach would also spare the patient toxic side effects.

April 22, 2015

Der pulls in two grants for pancreatic cancer research

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and the American Association for Cancer Research announced April 16 that UNC Lineberger's Channing Der, PhD, and two co-principal investigators were chosen to receive a $1 million grant for pancreatic cancer research. Earlier this year, Der was also announced as the recipient of a grant from The Lustgarten Foundation, the nation’s largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research.