Adrianne Wallace-Povirk, PhD
Surgery- Pancreatic Cancer Center
Henry Ford Health
Dr. Wallace-Povirk studies how some pancreatic cancers grow and change inside the body. She looks at tiny details inside cancer cells to figure out why some tumors act more “normal” and others act more “aggressive.” By understanding these differences, she hopes to help doctors find better treatments that work for different kinds of pancreatic cancer. Because of her work — supported by our donors — future patients could have new medicine and hope instead of old, limited options.
Learn more about Dr. Wallace-Povirk here
Harrison L Hiraki, PhD
Department of Surgery
Rogel and Blondy Cancer Center
University of Michigan Health
Dr. Hiraki builds tiny, lab-based “mini-organs” that act like the real pancreas — and blood vessels — to see how cancer cells and blood vessels talk to each other. With those mini-organs, he tries to find what makes cancer spread, and also discover new ways to stop it. Because of his research, we could potentially move drugs to the clinic faster — giving people with pancreatic cancer a better chance.
Learn more about Dr. Hiraki here
Mariana T. Ruckert, PhD
Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Rogel and Blondy Cancer Center
University of Michigan Health
Dr. Ruckert studies how pancreatic cancer begins so doctors can find it earlier and help more people survive. She looks closely at special pancreas cells that can change when they are stressed — sometimes becoming the very first step toward cancer. By testing medicines she strives to learn how to stop these cell changes before cancer starts. Her research could help create new ways to detect pancreatic cancer sooner and new treatments that prevent it from growing — giving patients more hope for the future.
Learn more about Dr. Ruckert here