ABSTRACT
Hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers are a group of rapidly fatal malignancies with poorly understood
etiology and biology. These cancers are often diagnosed at a late stage, after the primary tumor has spread to
adjacent or distant organs, precluding curative therapy. Africans have higher incidences of these cancers than
Americans, Asians, or Europeans. Africans are also more likely to be diagnosed with these cancers at younger
ages and have a higher mortality from these cancers than many other racial/ethnic groups worldwide.
Significant limitations to the advancement of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer research in Africa are limited
continuous training in emerging research among clinicians and scientists, limited diagnostic capabilities, and
the modest resources allocated to the liver, biliary and pancreatic cancer research despite the growing public
health burden attributable to these cancers. To address the increasing problem of higher incidence and
mortality of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers in Africa, there is a pressing need to (1) identify and empower
emerging cancer researchers and clinicians with the most current knowledge and research skills in the field to
contribute meaningfully to understanding the etiology and prognostic factors associated with these cancers,
and (2) help develop sustainable, practical actions for early diagnosis and to reduce the incidence and
mortality of these cancers in Africa. There an urgent need to harness our collective expertise and resources in
the United States with African investigators to advance the science of hepatopancreatobiliary cancers in Africa.
This proposal will organize a series of workshops on scientific research in hepatobiliary and pancreatic
cancers led by experts in the field. The workshops will comprise of knowledge delivering lectures on the
pathobiology of these cancers, design appropriate research experiments specific to hepatobiliary and
pancreatic cancers, manuscript writing workshops, designing joint research projects among investigators in
African and the United States, project management training for research coordinators, and training in new
laboratory techniques/technology.
At the conclusion of the three-year R13 grant, we will have enhanced the expertise in Africa and the
United States to address the perennially high mortality rates of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers. Through
this project, we will develop a vibrant and collaborative group of investigators in Africa, equipped with the skills
to meaningfully contribute to advancing the science of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers. The expected
deliverable also includes joint publications and joint grant applications among African and American
investigators to augment the research collaboration that will be achieved under this R13 application. The
results of our research collaborations will improve the understanding of the etiological factors, biology, and
outcomes of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers in African and African-descent populations in the United
States.