Oncolytic Effects of the Newcastle Disease Virus in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Organoids

• Grant number: 25/06164-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal Investigator: Pedro Luiz Porfirio Xavier
• Grantee: Maria Eduarda Goes Job
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/06305-7 - Identifying new therapeutic targets in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by combining relevant models and approaches, AP.GR

Abstract

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor, with patients showing a low life expectancy on a global scale. This unfavorable scenario is related to multivariable risk factors, nonspecific symptoms, late diagnosis, and, most importantly, the lack of effective therapeutic targets. Three-dimensional organoid models have emerged as an essential tool for studying the pathophysiology of PDAC in vitro, mimicking tumor phenotypes such as cellular heterogeneity, varying exposure to oxygen and nutrients, and treatment responses that are consistent with in vivo tumors. Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) is a virus non-pathogenic to mammals, capable of inducing oncolytic effects in cancer cells while sparing non-tumoral cells. Due to its advantages-such as reduced potential side effects, ease of genome manipulation, and low risk of genomic recombination with the host cell-NDV is one of the leading candidates for application in effective oncolytic therapies. Therefore, in this project, we aim to study the ability of NDV to infect and induce oncolytic effects in murine organoids of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.