Improving care and outcomes for head and neck (oropharyngeal) cancer
From bench to bedside: a multifaceted integrated approach to improve head and neck cancer outcomes.
This project uses spatial gene mapping and artificial intelligence on tumor samples to find biological reasons why Black patients with HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer have worse survival than other groups.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261529 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will compare gene activity and the spatial layout of tumor, immune, and stromal cells in tissue from Black and White patients with oropharyngeal cancer using spatial genomics and AI-based pathology analysis. The team will look for ancestry-linked driver genes and differences in immune neighborhoods that could explain survival disparities. Work will combine existing patient tumor samples, genomic data, and computational models and may include collecting additional clinical data or specimens through collaborating centers. The program also creates pilot funding to support early-career investigators translating these findings toward better diagnostics and treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with oropharyngeal (head and neck) cancer—especially Black patients with HPV-negative tumors—or patients willing to donate tumor tissue or clinical data are the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without head and neck cancer or whose tumors are HPV-positive (a different subtype) are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to biomarkers or targets that help reduce racial survival disparities and lead to more personalized treatments for oropharyngeal cancer patients.
How similar studies have performed: Related approaches using spatial genomics and AI have revealed tumor-immune patterns and shown promise in HPV-positive cases, but applying them to racial outcome differences in HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Watts, Tammara L. — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Watts, Tammara L.
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.