Bitter taste receptors in oral cancer immune cells
Official title: Bitter taste receptors in oral cancer tumor-associated macrophages
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11398223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A woman or man with oral cancer could benefit from new ways to boost the body’s own immune attack on tumors by targeting taste receptors on immune cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 21, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $511,578 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE034474-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398223 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates may be individuals with oral squamous cell carcinoma or those at risk, if future trials explore immune-based approaches informed by taste receptor biology.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not eligible for immune-based or receptor-targeted therapies may not experience direct benefits.
What this research studies
This grant explores how bitter taste receptors on tumor-associated macrophages influence the immune environment inside oral squamous cell cancers and whether guiding these macrophages can help fight the tumor. The researchers will study signaling pathways that connect taste receptors to immune responses and cancer cell death, with a focus on how macrophages can be steered toward removing cancer cells. The work builds on prior findings that these receptors can enhance immune functions and that they exist on cancer cells themselves, potentially offering multiple angles for therapy. By understanding these interactions, the project aims to identify combination strategies that activate anti-tumor immunity while reducing inflammation-linked tumor progression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to new therapies that recruit and reprogram immune cells to fight oral cancer more effectively.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows bitter taste receptors on immune cells can boost phagocytosis, suggesting a plausible path toward therapeutic benefit in cancer.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Carey, Ryan Michael — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Carey, Ryan Michael
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.