Targeting EGFR/HER3/HER2 signaling to improve therapy for oral cancer
Official title: Targeting Systems Vulnerabilities in the EGFR/HER3/HER2 Oncogenic Signaling Circuitry: New Precision Therapies for Oral Cancer
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11375190 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project aims to find new ways to treat oral cancer by hitting specific cancer signaling networks to boost how well immunotherapies work.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $486,400 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE035393-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375190 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who may later be eligible for combination therapies including immune checkpoint inhibitors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer biology does not involve the targeted signaling networks may not benefit from these approaches.
What this research studies
This project will study how head and neck cancers resist current treatments by focusing on the EGFR/HER3/HER2 signaling circuit and how to disrupt it safely. Researchers will use biologic models and CRISPR-based screens to identify vulnerabilities that could be targeted with precision therapies. The goal is to combine new targets with anti-PD-1 therapies to improve response rates and reduce long-term side effects for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The work will move from lab studies toward strategies that could be tested in future clinical settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with HNSCC could see more effective treatments with fewer side effects and improved survival.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that targeting PI3K/mTOR signaling can have antitumor effects, but resistance mechanisms in HNSCC remain a challenge.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gutkind, Jorge Silvio — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Gutkind, Jorge Silvio
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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.