The Ohio State University Chronic Pancreatitis Diabetes Pancreas Cancer (CPDPC) Clinical Center

ABSTRACT The mechanistic underpinnings of diseases involving the exocrine pancreas are poorly understood. Chronic pancreatitis is often accompanied by inflammation of the pancreas, irreversible fibrosis, and destruction of the pancreatic parenchyma resulting in abdominal pain, malnutrition, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatogenic diabetes, and, in some cases, pancreas cancer. We have developed a network of adult and pediatric investigators to form The Ohio State University Clinical Center (OSU CC). In a multidisciplinary collaboration with other clinical centers in the Consortium for the Study of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes, and Pancreatic Cancer Clinical Centers (CPDPC-CCs) (U01), the OSU CC has helped develop four (4) major observational studies during the initial funding cycle to address research gaps in our understanding of diseases of the exocrine pancreas. Specifically, the OSU CC seeks to validate proposed diagnostic biomarkers in chronic pancreatitis, pancreatogenic diabetes, and pancreas cancer.