Deciphering Altered Metabolism and Immune Evasion in FAT1-Mutated Head and Neck Cancer

To achieve our overall goal of improving precision therapies for HNSCC, we must develop a means to target the sizeable subgroup of these tumors harboring mutation or homozygous deletion of this gene. Unexpectedly, our initial analyses of this new mouse model of HNSCC have revealed a link between FAT1 and metabolic and immunologic alterations, which we this project investigates through 2 specific aims over a 3-year timeline: Aim 1. Define the metabolic processes altered in FAT1-mutated HNSCC tumors Aim 2. Dissect the immunosuppressive mechanisms of FAT1 mutation in the tumor microenvironment.