Researchers from the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University aim to use a pig-based model to study esophageal diseases, a field where scientific understanding remains limited.
Researchers use large animal models to help with therapy development, testing and translation. However, fully defined models of digestive diseases are still scarce.
Within this field, esophageal diseases are an especially compelling focus, as they are increasingly prevalent but historically under-researched. There are no FDA-approved esophageal-specific drugs or delivery mechanisms. Fundamental questions remain about disease mechanisms, progression, and individualized treatment.
A new initiative, led by Evan Dellon, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Director of the Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing at UNC, and Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, Professor of Equine Surgery and Associate Dean & Director of Veterinary Medical Services NC State University, is working to address this gap. Their project, titled Porcine Related apprOach to Multidisciplinary cOllaborative Translational ModEl Research (PROMOTER), is supported by a grant through the National Institutes of Health High Impact Research and Research Infrastructure Programs (RC2). The first of the five years of funding totals $768,064.
Pig Model Shows Translational Potential
Unlike small animal models, pigs provide an anatomically and functionally relevant esophageal system that closely mirrors humans. The porcine esophagus has comparable epithelial and sub-epithelial compartments, motility, and size, making it suitable for endoscopic procedures. This allows researchers to study disease progression, test therapies, and collect tissue samples over time without sacrificing the animal, enabling long-term translational insights.
The team has begun establishing the viability of the porcine esophageal approach through the exploration of injury/repair, the role of stem cells, and drug delivery including mucosal-targeted formulations and drug-eluting devices. They have also developed a porcine disease model for eosinophilic esophagitis with promising human parallels.
PROMOTER Objectives
The PROMOTER team will focus on three key aims:
- Generate a comprehensive transcriptional, immunologic, and proteomic profile of the normal porcine esophagus.
- Develop porcine disease models for inflammatory, injury-induced, and fibrotic esophageal conditions.
- Establish a sustainable multidisciplinary center that will share resources with the scientific community to accelerate translational research, foster therapeutic innovation in esophageal diseases, and extend this approach to other organ systems.
By creating a robust, scalable “toolbox” for esophageal research, PROMOTER is positioned to speed the translation of discoveries into clinical practice and improve care for patients with esophageal and related diseases
This effort is supported in part by the NC TraCS Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill, which serves as the integrated hub of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program, funded grant UM1TR004406. The CTSA program, led by NIH’s NCATS, helps make projects like the RC2 grant possible – an offshoot of UNC’s broader CTSA-supported work in translational science.
Learn more about the NC TraCS Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill.