27 August 2025
Behind the scenes of pancreatic cancer research with Songul
What happens behind the scenes of a study funded by Support Casper, and what does a clinician-researcher actually do? Songul Kucukcelebi works at Erasmus MC on several pancreatic cancer studies. Alongside her laboratory work, she spends a great deal of time with patients. This is what a typical working day looks like.
Morning
Songul explains: “We prepare the previous day for an outpatient clinic. Patients come in for check-ups, scans, blood tests or results. We may also see someone for screening to determine whether they are eligible for a current study. That can involve taking blood and sending it to the laboratory for analysis.”
After the outpatient clinic, Songul continues in the day-treatment unit, where patients receive treatment, tests or minor procedures without staying overnight. “We see patients who are taking part in a study and receiving treatment. We may start their medication and take study-specific blood samples. The laboratory processes and stores those samples, ready for analysis once the study is complete.”
Afternoon
On Thursday afternoons, Songul joins colleagues from Erasmus MC and other hospitals for a multidisciplinary team meeting. They agree treatment plans and consider whether individual patients may be eligible for a study. Suitable patients enter a screening process and return to the outpatient clinic. Each study has its own criteria, so careful screening establishes whether someone can join now or perhaps at a later stage.
Songul may also be contacted by radiology or the operating theatre when a tumour biopsy becomes available. “Tumour tissue has to be handled in a particular way so that the cells remain suitable for research. We process the biopsy, embed it in paraffin wax, prepare tissue blocks and store them. When the study reaches the analysis stage, these tumour samples can then be examined.”
Current pancreatic cancer studies
Songul's work is varied and involves close contact with patients taking part in current studies. She is working on several projects, including DURIPANC and NeOncoFRAx.
DURIPANC investigates a combination of two immunotherapies for people with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have completed chemotherapy. NeOncoFRAx aims to develop a personalised cancer vaccine for people with pancreatic cancer.
Songul says: “NeOncoFRAx is still at an early stage. We are optimising the approach and assessing the practical feasibility of a personalised cancer vaccine — the foundations of a future treatment. Many studies share the same goal of developing better treatment for pancreatic cancer, but each is at a different stage. It can take years to move from starting a study to treating patients. Some projects are approaching that point, while others are only just beginning.”
Donate and support pancreatic cancer research
Support Casper funding helps make Songul's work possible. You can support pancreatic cancer research by making a donation. Together, we can make a difference.