Current Research Support
R01 DE031413 NIH/NIDCR, 04/2022 – 03/2027
Total budget: $3,000,000 (Approx.) for 5 years
PD/PI: Manish Bais
Mechanism of LSD1 Function and Its Therapeutic Application for Progressive Oral Malignancy: In this project, we propose to identify the key underlying causes of oral cancer by investigating changes in the chromatin environment brought about by an enzyme, lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1). We anticipate that this study will increase knowledge about the biology of oral cancer, explore a synergistic combination of effective therapy, and lead to the development of novel treatment strategies for feline and human oral cancer.
R01 DE030350 NIH/NIDCR 12/2020-11/2025
Total Award: $3,079,035 for 5 years
Role: Co-I (0.6 calendar/yr) , MPI: Kukuruzinska/Monti/Varelas
Defining the β-catenin/CBP axis in head and neck cancer: The goal of this project is to investigate how the aberrantly increased nuclear β- catenin/CBP branch of the Wnt/ β 3catenin signaling pathway promotes progression of early head and neck cancer tumors to metastatic disease.
DE031831, PD/PI: Stefano Monti 04/2022 – 03/2025
Total $1,409,055 for 3 years
Role: Co-I (0.9 calendar/yr) PI: Stefano Monti
System-Level Analyses of Multi-Omics Data to Reveal Mechanisms of Head & Neck Cancer: In this proposal, we will investigate mechanisms of oral cancer initiation and progression for the identification of novel candidate drivers of the disease amenable to therapeutic targeting. We will apply system-level computational approaches, including novel taxonomy discovery and Markov network inference and comparison methods, to analyze existing multi-omics mouse and human datasets.
Eisai, Inc. 04/2022 – 03/2024 0.6 calendar
Total $336,000 for 2 years
Role: Co-I (1.2 calendar/ yr) PI: Maria Kukuruzinska
Defining the impact of E7386 alone and in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody on tumor intrinsic immunity in head and neck cancer of the oral cavity: The aim of this project is to decode the effects of a small molecule inhibitor of the Beta-catenin/CBP axis, E7386, on the immune landscape in a syngeneic mouse model of oral carcinogenesis and assess its therapeutic significance.
Past Research Support
1R21DE026892 (PI: Bais, Manish)
09/01/2018 – 08/31/2021 for 3 years
Epigenetic targeting of LSD1 for OSCC Therapy: The goal of this project to evaluate the epigenetic role of LSD1 in EGF induced signaling OSCC signaling pathways and identify therapeutic targeting strategy to inhibit translational applications.
1UL1TR001430, CTSI Pilot grant (PI: Bais, Manish)
10/01/18 – 09/30/2019 for 1 year
LSD1 in radio sensitization therapy for head and neck cancer: The goal of this project to evaluate the role of LSD1 radio sensitization therapy for head and neck cancer and signaling pathways and identify therapeutic targeting strategy to inhibit it for translational applications.
R03 DE025274 (PI: Bais, Manish)
08/01/15 – 07/31/18 for 3 years
LOXL2 in Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis.
The goal of this study is to evaluate the hypothesis that a LOXL2-mediated mechanism induces an anabolic response and promotes repair in mouse and in temporomandibular joint Osteoarthritis.
Oral Cancer Affinity Research Collaboration, ARC grant(PI: Bais, Manish)
09/01/14 – 12/30/17 for 3 years
The role of LSD1 in epigenetic regulation in the extracellular microenvironment.
The study will demonstrate the role of LSD1 and specific small-molecule inhibitor GSK-LSD1 in regulating ECM proteins at genetic and epigenetic levels, including via whole-exome methylome analysis.