ABSTRACT
A defining feature of Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the presence of a host stromal response,
which is characteristically more robust (“desmoplastic”) than many solid cancers. Stromal elements, including
cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the extracellular matrix, are pivotal components of the tumor
microenvironment (TME) ecosystem in PDAC, which also includes immune cells, the lymphovascular system,
and the intra-tumoral microbiome. In recent years the role of the PDAC stroma (and CAFs, in particular) has
morphed to one characterized by profound heterogeneity, plasticity, and context-specificity. The newly created
Pancreatic Cancer Stromal Reprogramming Consortium (PSRC) will fund a team of six U01 sites to conduct
basic and translational research studies on the role of the stroma and other TME constituents in PDAC
pathogenesis and outcomes. We have collated a multidisciplinary team of investigators at UT MD Anderson with
the goal of creating PASSCODE (Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Stromal Reprograming ConSortium
COordination, Data Management and Education Center), that will serve as an organizing “hub” for coordination,
communication and collaboration within the PSRC, and support the newly funded U01 sites. PASSCODE will be
co-led by Dr. Anirban Maitra, an expert in PDAC pathology, genetics, and cancer biology, and Dr. J. Jack Lee,
an expert in biostatistics, clinical trial design and data science. PASSCODE proposes four aims: First, we will
support the administrative infrastructure of the PSRC, and ensure effective communication and collaboration
between consortium investigators, the NCI program office and other trans-NCI networks, including facilitating all
of the PSRC-approved in-person and virtual meetings. We will also provide operational support for material and
data transfer agreements that are germane to the collaborative studies within the PSRC. Second, we will develop
a framework for a PSRC “virtual biorepository” as a registry database for shared biospecimen access across the
consortium, and develop SOPs for processing, storage, cataloging, and distribution of annotated biospecimens
and de-identified clinical, demographic, and molecular information. Third, we will provide centralized data
management and data storage capabilities for the PSRC, with the overarching goal of data harmonization and
dissemination, within and beyond the consortium. As part of this aim, PASSCODE will provide dedicated
biostatistical and bioinformatics analytical tools, and multimodal data visualization for PSRC investigators,
including for approved collaborative projects. Fourth, PASSCODE will be responsible for developing and
maintaining both a “public facing” PSRC website and other social media outlets, as well as a secure intranet site.
We will organize seminars and workshops that highlight progress within the PSRC, and provide a platform for
educational/mentorship opportunities, especially with regards to enhancing the participation of underrepresented
minority trainees. Cumulatively, PASSCODE’s activities will be geared towards ensuring the success of the
consortium’s mission of improving PDAC survival through innovative and collaborative research endeavors.
