Using immune cells to fight head and neck cancer
Official title: Targeting the innate immune response in HNSCC
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11161162 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Trying treatments that change immune cells around head and neck tumors to help people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma respond better to therapy.
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 | September 15, 2017 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $498,386 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE027325-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11161162 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), including both HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumors, especially those who have not responded to approved checkpoint immunotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-squamous head and neck cancers, those unable to receive immune-based treatments, or those seeking only immediate standard care rather than research participation are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project focuses on immune cells called macrophages that collect in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma tumors and help cancers hide from the immune system. Researchers found two kinds of tumor macrophages—tissue-resident and bone marrow–derived—that act differently and may be targeted in different ways. The team will use laboratory work and patient tumor samples to block macrophage growth or alter myeloid cell behavior so other immune cells can attack the tumor. The overall aim is to develop approaches that could be moved into clinical trials for patients who do not respond to current checkpoint immunotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help more people with HNSCC respond to immunotherapy and lead to better tumor control with fewer long-term side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Checkpoint immunotherapies have improved outcomes for about 20–30% of HNSCC patients, while strategies that specifically target tumor-associated macrophages are promising but remain at an earlier, experimental stage.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Varner, Judith a — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Varner, Judith a
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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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.
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HNSCC, iron addiction, and potential iron-targeted therapies
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.