PREVENT PROGRAM
Overview
The PREVENT Program is an innovative, collaborative research initiative at WashU Medicine designed to change the trajectory of two of the deadliest gastrointestinal cancers—gastric (stomach) and pancreatic cancer—by focusing on early detection and prevention. These cancers are often diagnosed at advanced stages because effective screening tools are lacking. PREVENT brings together clinicians and scientists across disciplines to identify precancerous changes, discover novel biomarkers, and develop new technologies that can detect disease earlier—when intervention can save lives.
Placeholder image: Educational schematic showing progression from normal tissue → metaplasia → dysplasia → cancer in stomach and pancreas
Why PREVENT Matters
Gastric and pancreatic cancers share common biological origins and risk factors, including chronic inflammation, environmental exposures, and overlapping genetic drivers. Importantly, both cancers progress through identifiable precancerous stages, creating a critical opportunity for early detection. By studying these diseases together, PREVENT accelerates discovery, improves efficiency, and speeds translation of research findings into clinical care.
Placeholder image: Side‑by‑side comparison graphic highlighting similarities between gastric and pancreatic cancer development
What We Do
PREVENT integrates basic, translational, and clinical research with a focus on:
- Biomarker discovery and validation for early and precancerous stages of gastric and pancreatic cancer
- Novel imaging technologies, including development of an infrared thermal imaging approach to detect high‑risk gastric lesions
- Advanced translational models, such as patient‑derived organoids, gastroids, and tumoroids
- Expansion of biobanking resources, including longitudinal samples from patients at risk for cancer progression
- Collaborative, team‑based science that unites gastroenterologists, oncologists, surgeons, immunologists, bioinformaticians, and imaging experts
Placeholder image: Organoid or tissue‑based microscopy image representing translational cancer research
PREVENT Team
The PREVENT Program brings together a multidisciplinary team of WashU Medicine physician‑scientists, including investigators featured in the Barnes‑Jewish Hospital Foundation announcement:
- Matthew Ciorba, MD – Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology
- Koushik Das, MD – Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology
- Jeffrey Brown, MD, PhD – Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology
- José Sáenz, MD, PhD – Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology
- Ramon Jin, MD, PhD – Assistant Professor of Medicine, Divisions of Gastroenterology and Oncology
- Tarin Bigley, MD, PhD – Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology
This core group collaborates closely with additional faculty across WashU Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center, and Barnes‑Jewish Hospital.
A Collaborative Model
PREVENT is built on the principle that we move faster—and farther—together. Shared resources in biostatistics, bioinformatics, biobanking, and pilot funding amplify impact across both disease areas. This collaborative structure not only accelerates discovery but also trains the next generation of investigators committed to cancer prevention.
Impact and Vision
With philanthropic support, PREVENT is advancing promising discoveries toward clinical application, including commercialization of novel biomarkers and development of new diagnostic tools. Our long‑term vision is to grow PREVENT into a nationally recognized translational research center that fundamentally changes how gastric and pancreatic cancers are detected and prevented.
Gratitude
The PREVENT Program was established through the leadership and generosity of The Foundation for Barnes‑Jewish Hospital, whose philanthropic investment created this innovative, multidisciplinary effort at WashU Medicine and Barnes‑Jewish Hospital. We are deeply grateful to the Foundation and to the anonymous donors whose support made PREVENT possible and continues to advance early detection and prevention of gastric and pancreatic cancers.
Support PREVENT
Breakthroughs in cancer prevention are possible because of philanthropic partnership. Donor support fuels discovery, helps translate research into real‑world impact, and accelerates progress toward saving lives. We invite you to learn more about supporting PREVENT through the Barnes‑Jewish Hospital Foundation.
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