Understanding why some head and neck cancers stop responding to cisplatin and spread
Official title: Defining the role of KEAP/NRF2 signaling dysregulation and sensory nerve reprograming during acquisition of cisplatin resistance and metastasis in HNSCC
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11416341 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores why certain head and neck cancers stop responding to cisplatin and how nerve signals inside tumors may drive metastasis, with goals that could lead to new ways to overcome drug resistance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $232,872 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA274321-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11416341 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable for this basic science project (laboratory models), no direct patient enrollment.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation is anticipated in this specific project phase.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying head and neck cancer cells grown in the lab to see how a cellular pathway called KEAP/NRF2 becomes overactive after cisplatin treatment. They are testing whether blocking a key metabolic enzyme, GLS, can deplete the building blocks the cancer uses to stay resistant. The work also looks at how sensory nerves in the tumor environment change and influence cancer progression. Findings could point to new combination strategies to prevent resistance and metastasis in patients who need cisplatin.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new strategies to keep cisplatin effective longer and prevent the cancer from spreading.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked NRF2 activation to resistance and worse outcomes in cancers, supporting the rationale for targeting this pathway.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Osman, Abdullah Ali — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Osman, Abdullah Ali
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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.