ACPMP awards $150,000 research grant for appendix cancer study

The Appendix Cancer PMP Research Foundation has given its 2026 Changemaker Research Grant to Dr. Mohammad Haroon Choudry at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center to study a mucus barrier that blocks treatment for appendix cancer and PMP. The project aims to test a targeted mucus-dissolving and heat-activated nanoparticle approach with support dedicated in memory of Katie Centorbi.

Why it matters: - Appendix cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonei, or PMP, remain difficult to treat because therapies often cannot reach tumor cells. - The funded project targets the mucus barrier that can block treatment delivery and could open a new path for care. - The grant is dedicated to Katie Centorbi, linking the research funding to patient and family advocacy.

What happened: - The Appendix Cancer PMP Research Foundation announced a $150,000 Changemaker Research Grant for Mohammad Haroon Choudry, MD. - Choudry is a surgical oncologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh and an associate professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. - ACPMP announced the grant on Sept. 23, 2026. - The grant is dedicated in memory of Katie Centorbi.

The details: - The project is titled “MUC2-Targeted Mucolysis and Heat-Triggered Nanotherapeutic Drug Delivery to Overcome the Mucus Barrier in Appendiceal Pseudomyxoma Peritonei.” - The study will test a mucus-dissolving approach paired with heat-activated nanoparticles. - The goal is to turn the mucus barrier into a therapeutic target and improve delivery to cancer cells. - ACPMP said the Changemaker Research Grant is meant to support bold scientific, clinical and translational work with the potential to change understanding of appendix cancer and PMP. - Jim Carroll, ACPMP board president, said the grant is designed to back innovative ideas that could shape future treatment options. - Carroll also said Dr. Choudry’s work addresses one of the hardest problems in PMP and noted support from The Katie Centorbi Foundation. - Choudry said the mucus barrier is one of the main reasons standard therapies fall short for PMP patients. - Choudry said the grant will allow his team to test a new way to address the barrier and direct treatment to tumor cells. - ACPMP said the Changemaker award is one of several grants funded in 2026, alongside a Clinical Investigator Award, a Catalyst Research Grant, a Young Investigator Award and travel awards for researchers at national scientific meetings.

Between the lines: - The award reflects a broader push to fund rare-disease research where conventional treatment approaches have not solved core delivery problems. - The collaboration with The Katie Centorbi Foundation shows how patient-family philanthropy is helping drive research in a disease with limited funding. - ACPMP is also emphasizing community-backed infrastructure, including a patient registry and symposium, to support future studies and visibility for the disease.

What's next: - Patients and caregivers can join the free ACPMP Patient Registry at ACPMP patient registry. - ACPMP will host a free virtual Appendix Cancer Multi-Regional Symposium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at acpmp.org. - The symposium will feature leading experts and presentations from ACPMP-funded researchers. - ACPMP says appendix cancer cases are increasingly diagnosed in younger adults, underscoring the need for better treatments and, ultimately, a cure. - More information about The Katie Centorbi Foundation is available at thekatiecentorbifoundation.com. - More information about ACPMP is available at acpmp.org.