Immune and gene markers to spot high-risk oral leukoplakia
Immune and transcriptomic biomarkers of progressive oral premalignant lesions
Using immune cell patterns and gene activity in mouth tissue, this project looks for markers that tell which white patches (leukoplakia) are most likely to become oral cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158923 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a white patch or other oral precancer (leukoplakia), researchers will examine tissue samples and follow patients over time to see which lesions progress to cancer. They will use advanced tools like spatial transcriptomics to map where genes are active in the tissue and multiplex immune fluorescence to see many immune cell types at once. The team will compare lesions that transformed to cancer with those that did not to find distinctive signatures, such as ARG1-rich macrophages and low CD8+ T cells. These findings are intended to help develop tests that identify high-risk lesions earlier.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with oral leukoplakia or other oral potentially malignant disorders (especially HPV-negative lesions) who can provide biopsy samples and attend follow-up visits.
Not a fit: People without oral precancerous lesions, or those already diagnosed with invasive oral squamous cell carcinoma, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could help doctors identify which premalignant mouth lesions need closer monitoring or earlier treatment, lowering the chance of developing invasive oral cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has revealed transcriptomic and immune differences linked to progression, but no validated biomarker panel is yet in routine clinical use, so this builds on promising but not-yet-clinical findings.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Momen Heravi, Fatemeh — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Momen Heravi, Fatemeh
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 below.