WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A seed can grow into a great tree.

Twenty-eight years ago, that's how the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research started. Now their seed grants are bearing fruit for many local researchers and patients.

UCLA scientist Evan Abt is trying to unlock the way pancreatic cancer cells trick the body's immune system into not seeing them.

"We're essentially trying to take down the defenses of the tumor cells," he said.

He and his team are developing a drug to unmask the cancer cells and rev up the immune response.

"The goal of the program is to improve responses to existing therapies and ideally resulting in long-term disease remission," said Abt.

His promising clinical trials are attracting more funding. It all started with a $75,000 seed grant

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