A research team from the University of Chicago has developed a strain of gut bacteria that might assist in fighting pancreatic cancer. Ralph Weichselbaum, MD (Chair of Radiation and Cellular Oncology) and his team engineered a strain of Bifidobacterium longum to release a modified form of interleukin-2 – an immune molecule that activates T-cells. B. longum was chosen because it thrives in low-oxygen environments where pancreatic tumors concentrate. Using this engineered strain named BifidoSumIL-2 the scientists stimulate T-cells to fight pancreatic cancer tumors. When the scientists tested BifidoSumIL-2 in animal models, it accumulated in tumors, activated T-cells, and slowed pancreatic cancer growth. Combined with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, even further tumor control was achieved. The scientists hope that continued research will lead to a product suitable for testing in humans.