The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) awarded a $653,172 Project Grant under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121) to Trustees of Boston University, doing business as Boston University Medical Campus. The grant aims to define how aging influences the tumor microenvironment and immune evasion in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Key objectives include examining the relationship between aging, extracellular matrix dynamics, and the mechanosensitive transcriptional regulator YAP, which has been linked to pro-tumorigenic effects in HNSCC. The project will profile age-associated transcriptional and cellular changes, and test strategies to reintroduce absent chemokine programs that may enhance anti-tumor immunity. The award period extends from June 2024 through March 2029.
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