Targeted immune-boosting therapy for head and neck cancer
Official title: Tumor-Targeted STING Agonism in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11252352 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work uses a tumor-targeted drug that turns on a cancer-cell immune alarm called STING to help radiation and chemotherapy work better for people with head and neck cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $482,918 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA295952-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11252352 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, especially those with tumors that are resistant to radiation or chemotherapy, would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancer types outside head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, tumors that lack the STING pathway, or those who cannot tolerate experimental treatments may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers found that the STING pathway inside tumor cells changes how head and neck cancers respond to DNA-damaging treatments like radiation and chemotherapy. They used a whole-genome CRISPR screen to identify STING as a key driver of treatment sensitivity and studied how STING affects reactive oxygen and DNA damage in cancer cells. To deliver STING activation specifically to tumors, they are developing a pH-sensitive carrier (pHLIP) that releases a STING-activating compound in the acidic tumor environment. Work includes laboratory and preclinical tests combining the targeted STING activator with standard therapies to overcome treatment resistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make radiation and chemotherapy work better against resistant head and neck tumors, potentially shrinking cancers and improving survival.
How similar studies have gone: STING activation has shown promise in lab and some early clinical work, but using a tumor-targeted pHLIP delivery of a STING agonist is a novel and largely untested approach in patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hayman, Thomas — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Hayman, Thomas
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Novel idea: Epstein-Barr virus and eye cancer in people living with HIV in Zimbabwe
A study explores whether Epstein-Barr virus could cause a type of eye cancer in people living with HIV in Zimbabwe.
-
Oral cancer recurrence predictor using tumor microbes and gene activity
This NIH grant explores how bacteria and immune signals inside oral cancer tumors relate to whether the cancer comes back, with the aim of making a practical risk predictor for patients.
-
Data-driven classification of aggressive tissue traits to predict cancer outcomes in HPV-negative head and neck cancer
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.
-
Targeting PIPKIγi5 to boost immune responses against head and neck cancer
A study to see if blocking a specific enzyme, PIPKIγi5, can make head and neck cancer more visible to the immune system and more responsive to existing immunotherapies.
-
Targeted approaches for lung squamous cell carcinoma with key gene changes
A study at a major university is exploring new targets in lung squamous cell carcinoma to help people with this cancer find better treatments.
-
Baculovirus-based therapy to treat head and neck cancer with a gentle, minimally invasive approach
A new, minimally invasive approach using baculovirus-delivered CRISPR gene editing aims to treat head and neck squamous cell carcinoma while aiming to preserve essential tissues.
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.