Enhancing Dendritic Cell Movement to Lymph Nodes to Improve Immunotherapy in HPV-negative Head and Neck Cancer
Official title: Enhancing Dendritic Cell Migration to Draining Sentinel Nodes to Improve Immunotherapy Response in HPV negative HNSCC
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11370028 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant aims to help people with HPV-negative head and neck cancer respond better to immunotherapy by guiding immune cells to the right lymph nodes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | June 20, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $673,744 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA304085-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370028 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who are candidates for immunotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Some patients may not respond or could experience treatment-related toxicity.
What this research studies
In HPV-negative head and neck cancer, current treatments can be very hard on patients and immunotherapy works for only a subset. The project tests a combination approach using targeted radiation that spares lymph nodes, followed by PD-1 blockade, to attract immune cells to the tumor’s draining lymph nodes and boost tumor-killing responses. It builds on early findings showing that lymph nodes are crucial for effective immunotherapy and that preserving these nodes may improve outcomes. The work includes preclinical models and plans to translate successful strategies toward patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could increase the percentage of patients who respond to immunotherapy and potentially improve survival with fewer side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Early clinical data suggest that lymphatic-sparing approaches with immunotherapy can yield high response rates in select patients, but more evidence is needed.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Califano, Joseph a — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Califano, Joseph a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Restoring responses to immunotherapy in metastatic lymph nodes in head and neck cancer
A clinical research project aims to improve how immunotherapy works when cancer has spread to lymph nodes in head and neck cancer patients.
-
Biomarkers for who will respond to immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
A team at the University of Pittsburgh is studying biomarkers to predict which people with head and neck cancer will respond to immunotherapies that target PD-1 and LAG-3.
-
Hypoxia and metabolism as targets to improve immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
This grant tests new combinations of metabolic drugs with immunotherapy to help people with head and neck cancer respond better to treatment.
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Targeting LAG3 to improve pre-surgery immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
This grant tests a combination immunotherapy before surgery to help people with head and neck cancer respond better to treatment.
-
Markers that predict response to LAG3 and PD‑1 immunotherapy for head and neck cancer
This project looks for tumor and blood markers to help predict which people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma will respond to PD‑1 and LAG‑3 immunotherapies.
-
Targeting low oxygen and abnormal metabolism to help immunotherapy work better in head and neck cancer
This research tests whether changing tumor oxygen levels and metabolism can help immunotherapy work better for people with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.
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.