Harnessing the nervous system to overcome immunotherapy resistance in oral cancer
Official title: Harnessing the nervous system to overcome resistance to immunotherapy in oral cancer
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11355563 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how nerves in oral cancer affect the immune system and help immunotherapy work better for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $678,424 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE032018-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11355563 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with oral cancer or other solid tumors where nerves within tumors may influence progression and treatment response.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not exhibit the nerve–immune interactions being studied may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores how tumor-associated nerves influence immune responses in oral cancer and other cancers. Researchers will study how nerve signals interact with immune cells and how adrenergic pathways may drive an immunosuppressive tumor environment. They plan to identify potential targets to make immunotherapy more effective by interrupting maladaptive nerve-immune communications. The work combines basic biology with analyses that could lead to new treatment approaches for people with oral cancer and related diseases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to new strategies to enhance immunotherapy effectiveness for cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work showed that nerves can modulate immune responses in tumors, with promising hints but ongoing research needed to translate into therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Amit, Moran — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Amit, Moran
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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.