Viral and human circular RNAs in head and neck cancer
Regulation and Function of Viral and Endogenous Circular RNA in Cancer
Researchers are looking at circular RNAs made by HPV and human cells in people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to understand how they might help tumors grow.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11423887 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will use advanced RNA sequencing on tumor samples and nearby non-tumor tissue from people with head and neck cancer to find circular RNAs. They plan to include about 50 HPV-positive and 50 HPV-negative tumors and will use special methods that capture circular RNAs and show which ones are being translated into protein. Lab experiments will test how selected circular RNAs, including a viral RNA called circE7, act in cells and whether they influence cancer-related processes. The goal is to pinpoint circular RNAs that help tumors grow and could become future biomarkers or treatment targets.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, particularly those with HPV-positive or HPV-negative tumors who can provide tumor and adjacent tissue samples, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without head and neck cancer or those unable or unwilling to provide tumor tissue are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could identify new molecules that help drive head and neck cancer and point to future tests or therapies, especially for HPV-related cases.
How similar studies have performed: Early studies have found circRNAs enriched in cancers and discovered an HPV circRNA (circE7) that makes an oncoprotein, but using comprehensive circRNA sequencing and functional testing in head and neck cancer is still a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Richard C — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Wang, Richard C
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 below.