{
    "title": "VUB Researchers Wear Purple on World Pancreatic Cancer Day to Raise Awareness About Deadly Disease",
    "modified_at": "2024-11-21 13:31:34",
    "published_at": "2024-11-21 13:00:00",
    "url": "https://press.vub.ac.be/vub-researchers-wear-purple-on-world-pancreatic-cancer-day-to-raise-awareness-about-deadly-disease",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/JYXc",
    "culture": "en",
    "language": "EN",
    "subtitle": "Brussels, November 21, 2024 \u2013 Today marks World Pancreatic Cancer Day. Researchers from VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) wear purple to show solidarity and raise awareness about this aggressive disease. At the same time, their research offers hope for better diagnostics and treatments.",
    "slug": "vub-researchers-wear-purple-on-world-pancreatic-cancer-day-to-raise-awareness-about-deadly-disease",
    "body": "<blockquote><strong>Prof. Dr. Ilse Rooman</strong>: &ldquo;Pancreatic cancer is expected to become the second deadliest form of cancer within 5 to 10 years. Because it is often detected late, treatment is extremely difficult. At LMMO-TORC (Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology), we focus on the biology of this cancer: from how it originates to how it grows and spreads. By understanding these mechanisms better, we hope to enable early detection and develop more effective treatments.&rdquo;</blockquote><p>The team led by Prof. Dr. Ilse Rooman not only studies pancreatic cancer tissue but also the unaffected pancreas to understand the mechanisms involved in cancer development. This approach could make a significant difference, as early detection or intervention greatly increases the chances of survival.</p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>The team has identified a cell type in normal pancreatic tissue that shares characteristics with the most aggressive forms of pancreatic cancer. This previously overlooked cell type may be key to better understanding and treating various tumor types.</span></li><li><span>Researchers are working to uncover a mechanism that might contribute to tumor metastasis. In collaboration with chemists from VUB (led by Prof. Dr. Steven Ballet), they are already developing a new therapeutic agent to influence this mechanism.</span></li><li><span>In partnership with UZ Brussel and the ULB-Erasme hospital, the B-PACT (Brussels Pancreatic Cancer Team) has been established&mdash;a multidisciplinary team focused on clinical and scientific research into pancreatic cancer.</span></li></ul><p><strong>About LMMO-TORC</strong></p><p>The Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology (LMMO) is part of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. LMMO is integrated into the larger research group <strong>Translational Oncology Research Centre (TORC) </strong>within the ORC cluster, where fundamental, translational, and clinical researchers from VUB and UZ Brussel collaborate closely.</p><a href=\"https://www.vub.be/en/support-vub/support-vub-through-gift/research-into-pancreatic-cancer\"\n        target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n        class=\"story-content-button-block story-content-button-block--center story-content-button-block--primary\">\n    Support the research into pancreatic cancer</a>\n\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/9ddf6ef3-b37b-4186-a399-e939479372e1/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                                    srcset=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/9ddf6ef3-b37b-4186-a399-e939479372e1/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/ 1x, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/9ddf6ef3-b37b-4186-a399-e939479372e1/-/resize/2400x/-/format/auto/ 2x\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"\"\n                id=\"image-9ddf6ef3-b37b-4186-a399-e939479372e1\"\n                data-id=\"9ddf6ef3-b37b-4186-a399-e939479372e1\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/9ddf6ef3-b37b-4186-a399-e939479372e1/-/inline/no/IMG20241121111732.jpg\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/9ddf6ef3-b37b-4186-a399-e939479372e1/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Story image\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\"></figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-8ccde1a8-9683-4a01-8dff-caf125ab5220\">\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__avatar\"><img src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/7eca0ce1-7907-43fb-897d-940acf358570/-/crop/399x400/0,0/-/preview/-/scale_crop/128x128/center/-/format/auto/\" alt=\"Els Wauters\" class=\"release-content-contact__avatar-image\" /></div>\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Els Wauters</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Perscontact Geneeskunde &amp; Farmacie</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:els.wauters@vub.be\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"els.wauters@vub.be\"><svg class=\"icon icon-paper-plane release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-paper-plane\"></use>\n            </svg>els.wauters@vub.be</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"tel:0490 52 45 21\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"0490 52 45 21\"><svg class=\"icon icon-mobile release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-mobile\"></use>\n            </svg>0490 52 45 21</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://www.vub.be/nl/over-de-vub/faculteiten-instituten-en-campussen/onze-faculteiten/geneeskunde-en-farmacie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"vub.be/nl/over-de-vub/faculteiten-instituten-en-campussen/onze-faculteiten/geneeskunde-en-farmacie\"><svg class=\"icon icon-browser release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-browser\"></use>\n            </svg>vub.be/nl/over-de-vub/faculteiten-instituten-en-campussen/onze-faculteiten/geneeskunde-en-farmacie</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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