Finding ways to improve immune responses in head and neck cancers
Official title: Strategies to Overcome Immune Resistance in Head and Neck Cancers
Funded at Yale University · NIH-10690599 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to improve immunotherapy for people with head and neck cancer, aiming to help more patients respond to treatment by figuring out why the immune system sometimes doesn't fight the cancer effectively.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $1,411,624 |
| NIH project number | 7P01CA240239-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10690599 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who have limited treatment options.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancers or those who do not have head and neck squamous cell carcinoma may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a type of cancer that has limited treatment options. The project aims to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy, which has shown some success but only benefits a small number of patients. Researchers will investigate the reasons behind the immune system's failure to respond to tumors and develop new strategies to overcome these barriers. By understanding both the tumor's characteristics and the immune system's suppression, the goal is to create innovative treatment combinations that can help more patients respond positively to immunotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve treatment outcomes for patients with head and neck cancers by increasing the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in enhancing immunotherapy responses in various cancers, suggesting that this approach could lead to meaningful advancements.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pai, Sara Isabel — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Pai, Sara Isabel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Targeting mitochondria with a ceramide compound to treat head and neck cancer
A new drug candidate called LCL768 aims to kill head and neck cancer cells by targeting their mitochondria and could also boost how well immunotherapy works.
-
How some p53 gene changes help head and neck cancers spread and hide from the immune system
Researchers are looking at whether blocking a protein called MCM5 can stop p53‑mutant head and neck cancers from becoming unstable, spreading, and weakening the immune system.
-
Combining Cue-101 and engineered T cells to treat HPV-positive head and neck cancer
Doctors are combining Cue-101 with specially engineered T cells to help people with HPV16-positive head and neck cancer by improving tumor targeting while using lower cell doses.
-
Combining T cell therapy with a new treatment for HPV-related head and neck cancers
This study is testing a new way to treat head and neck cancers linked to HPV by using specially modified immune cells that can find and fight the cancer, and it's for patients with HPV-positive cancers who want to explore a promising treatment option.
-
How mutations in the TP53 gene affect cancer spread and immune response in head and neck cancers
This study is looking at certain changes in a gene called TP53 that are often found in head and neck cancers to see how they affect how the cancer grows and avoids the immune system, with the hope of finding new treatments that could work better for patients like you.
-
Using nanoscale frameworks to enhance cancer treatment and immunotherapy for head and neck cancers
This study is exploring a new way to help people with head and neck cancers by using tiny materials that can boost radiation therapy and help the immune system fight the cancer better, aiming to improve treatment results and survival rates for patients.
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.