Identifying specific immune cells that target tumors in oral cancer
Official title: Leveraging single-cell co-culture and gene expression profiling to identify tumor antigen-specific T cells in oral cancer
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11019259 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to make immunotherapy better for people with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by finding special immune cells that can effectively fight the cancer, which could lead to improved treatments for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $390,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DE034360-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11019259 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma who are seeking advanced treatment options.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage oral cancer or those not diagnosed with OSCC may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving immunotherapy for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a type of aggressive cancer. The team will use advanced techniques to analyze interactions between tumor cells and immune cells, specifically T cells, to identify those that can effectively target and kill cancer cells. By utilizing a high-throughput single-cell co-culture system, they aim to isolate and characterize T cells that recognize specific tumor antigens. This approach includes sequencing technologies to understand the gene expression patterns of these T cells, which could lead to more effective treatments for patients with OSCC.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more targeted and effective immunotherapies for patients with oral cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using similar approaches to enhance immunotherapy effectiveness in various cancers, indicating potential for success in this novel application.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zenga, Joseph — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Zenga, Joseph
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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.