As the oncology community enters a transformative era in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, Project Purple is proud to announce two major research grants aimed at the disease’s most common genetic driver: the KRAS mutation.
This announcement follows high-profile clinical advancements in the field, including recent breakthroughs regarding KRAS inhibitors from companies like Revolution Medicine. With all of the momentum being generated in the field, Project Purple is focusing heavily on initiatives that will continue to drive progress.
In 2026 and 2027, Project Purple will provide significant funding to two world-class institutions, Weill Cornell Medicine and the University of Cincinnati, totaling a combined $750,000 to advance precision medicine for KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer.
“The KRAS mutation is responsible for over 90% of pancreatic cancer cases in the entire world,” said Dino Verrelli, Founder and CEO of Project Purple. “With the recent news from Revolution Medicine regarding their KRAS inhibitor, we are so excited to be partnering with both Weill Cornell and the University of Cincinnati in their labs focused on KRAS.”
A Multi-Faceted Research Approach
Weill Cornell Medicine
Despina Siolas, MD, Ph.D., and her team are investigating how tumors create fibrotic and immunosuppressive barriers, which stop chemotherapy and immunotherapy from reaching cancer cells. The team hypothesizes that certain versions of the KRAS mutation create unique environments that require different medical approaches.
To investigate this, the team will analyze pancreatic tumors in both mice and human tumor samples, creating experimental models that reflect human cancer and can be leveraged for more precise and effective therapies.
To learn more about this grant, click here to read our full press release.
University of Cincinnati
Using advanced laboratory techniques, including CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and RNA sequencing, the University of Cincinnati team is mapping how pancreatic cancer cells evade therapy. Led by Andrew M. Waters, Ph.D., their ultimate goal is to move beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach and develop combination treatments: drug “cocktails” that target both the main KRAS driver and the tumor’s backup survival mechanisms.
By identifying the specific proteins that help cancer cells survive, this research is guiding the creation of therapies tailored to the unique resistance mechanisms of each tumor. These compounds have the potential to be practice-changing and paradigm-shifting for patients with pancreatic cancer.
To learn more about this grant, click here to read our full press release.
A Message to Our Supporters
For Project Purple’s community of donors, these investments represent a direct role in the “KRAS revolution.” While large pharmaceutical companies focus on drug manufacturing, Project Purple fills the vital gap by funding the independent scientists and early-detection programs that make these medical breakthroughs accessible to the public.
“Without the support of our pancreatic cancer community, we could not make the impact we’re having in the science world, in particular with the research investments we are making here at Project Purple,” Verrelli added. “Thank you for the opportunity to allow us to invest in so many great scientists and researchers throughout the world.”
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