Jasper E. Neggers, PhD

Dr. Neggers is focusing on validating a new drug target for pancreatic cancer. Using large-scale genetic screening, Dr. Neggers discovered that a subset of cancers, including over 50% of pancreatic cancers, selectively require the VPS4A gene to proliferate and grow. When VPS4A is turned off, the cells stop dividing and die. He will study this vulnerability in clinically relevant patient-derived and mouse models of pancreatic cancer to understand how it functions. His research may help confirm whether this gene should be pursued as a significant drug target.