Welcome! We are Team SCALPOL!

Website: https://teamscalpol.wixsite.com/gemstones

Instagram: @teamscalpol

Introduction:

Pancreatic cancer is currently the 3rd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US, with an average 5-year survival rate of 13%. Endocrine pancreatic cancer (EPC) is one of the rarer forms of pancreatic cancer, and as such has received less funding and research, resulting in reduced treatment options for patients. Our research hopes to help address this gap by developing a potential model treatment option.

About Us:

We are a group of 11 sophomore undergraduate students in the Gemstone Honors Program. We are researching means by which to utilize mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to reduce the growth and spread of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs), which (when malignant) lead to EPC. Our goal is to develop a novel, model treatment that is effective at slowing the spread of pNETs in an in vitro environment.

Our Timeline: 

Our Plans:

Over the next three years, our objective is to develop a novel, model treatment that is effective at slowing the spread of pNETs in an in vitro environment. This research will require an extensive amount of time and resources, which we can only accomplish with your help. We hope to raise $2,000 to start purchasing the necessary materials to begin the first stages of development and experimentation.

By donating to our campaign, you can support our research to help create a novel, less invasive treatment that is more effective at tackling pNETs, and therefore increasing survival rates of patients with EPC.

Gifts in support of the University of Maryland are accepted and managed by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, Inc., an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization authorized by the Board of Regents. Contributions to the University of Maryland are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Please see your tax advisor for details.