Frank Bhatt

Frank Bhatt has elucidated the mechanisms of perineural invasion in pancreatic cancer, demonstrating that cancer cells actively migrate along nerve fibers through reciprocal signaling between tumor cells and Schwann cells involving neurotrophic factors including NGF, GDNF, and artemin. His work revealed that nerve-cancer cell interactions create a positive feedback loop where tumor-derived signals promote nerve growth while nerve-derived factors stimulate cancer cell invasion and proliferation. His research on pain signaling in cancer progression has shown that sensory nerve activation promotes tumor growth through neuropeptide release.