Probiotic therapy to fight oral cancer by delivering immune-activating treatment
Official title: Designing probiotic strains to sense and deliver novel treatments for oral cancer
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-11287500 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly approach using a safe oral bacteria to deliver a new immune-boosting therapy directly to oral tumors to help fight oral cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | September 14, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $418,899 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DE035679-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11287500 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma or related buccal cavity cancers who would participate in future trials involving probiotic-based immune therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients unlikely to benefit include those with non-buccal cavity cancers or contraindications to live bacterial therapies.
What this research studies
This project uses an engineered oral bacterium to reach oral squamous cell carcinoma and release a therapeutic protein that could stimulate immune cells in the tumor. The researchers will modify Lactobacillus fermentum to produce a fusion protein that helps attract and activate immune cells at the cancer site. The study focuses on testing this delivery system and its effects on the tumor immune environment in hopes of improving responses to existing treatments. If successful, this approach could become a new way to enhance antitumor immunity right at the tumor site.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with oral cancer could experience stronger anti-tumor immune responses and potentially better outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has explored bacteria-based cancer therapies with encouraging immune-modulating effects in early studies, but this specific engineered probiotic approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Figueiredo, Marxa L — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Figueiredo, Marxa L
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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.