Taming immune blockers to improve radiation response in head and neck cancer
Official title: Tackling Treg mediated resistance to radiation and anti-PDL1 in HNSCC's
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11384823 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how immune cells called Tregs might keep radiation from working as well in head and neck cancer, and tests strategies to activate anti-cancer immunity to improve patient outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $499,311 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE028529-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384823 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with head and neck cancer who may benefit from combined radiation and immunotherapy approaches.
✕Less likely to help
This work is primarily preclinical and may not immediately benefit patients who are not candidates for the immunotherapy combinations studied.
What this research studies
In head and neck cancer, clinicians use radiation and sometimes immunotherapy, but immune suppression in lymph nodes can limit effectiveness. The project explores how removing or deactivating Tregs before tumor growth can enhance immune cell trafficking and responses after radiation. It uses preclinical models to understand the role of PD-1 on Tregs and how this affects immune activation and nodal disease. Early data suggest that timing and choice of immunotherapy with radiation dramatically influence nodal control and overall responses. The team will investigate the biology of immune cell activation in lymph nodes and aim to translate findings toward more durable cancer control.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to safer, more effective radiation-and-immunotherapy strategies that prevent nodal recurrences in head and neck cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show that the right IO/Radiation combination can improve responses, but some combinations cause nodal recurrences, underscoring the need for optimized strategies.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Karam, Sana D — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Karam, Sana D
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Lymph node metastasis and immune tolerance in head and neck cancer
A study in people with head and neck cancer looks at how cancer spread to lymph nodes may shape the immune system and help tumors grow.
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Restoring responses to immunotherapy in metastatic lymph nodes in head and neck cancer
A clinical research project aims to improve how immunotherapy works when cancer has spread to lymph nodes in head and neck cancer patients.
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A clinician-science grant uses data science and AI to identify tissue patterns in HPV-negative head and neck cancer that may predict how long patients stay cancer-free.
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This grant explores how head and neck cancer cells become dependent on iron and whether targeting iron pathways could lead to new treatments for patients with recurrent or metastatic disease.
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Targeting SREBP2 to boost radiation therapy in HPV-negative head and neck cancer
This grant aims to see if blocking SREBP2 can make radiation therapy work better for people with HPV-negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
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Axelopran added to pembrolizumab for frontline recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer
A new treatment approach combines axelopran with pembrolizumab for people with PD-L1 positive recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer to see if it improves response.
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.