Led by Stefano Fedele, we strive to reduce the burden of oral cancer (e.g. delayed diagnosis and high mortality) through enabling early diagnosis and improved treatment of oral precancer. The Theme also aims to tackle the distressing and debilitating permanent adverse effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy upon the oral tissues in cancer survivors and those living with cancer (Case Study: Dry Mouth), an increasingly important unmet patient need (The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative) requiring further research and innovative care pathways (DHSC/Macmillan Cancer Support/NHS Improvement: Living with & Beyond Cancer). We aim to do this by:

Repurposing medications [Sodium Valproate, a class I Histone Deacetylase inhibitor] for the management of high-risk oral precancer/dysplasia and epigenetic chemoprevention of oral cancer (Fedele, Porter).

Collaborating with the Healthcare Engineering and Imaging Theme to develop and test innovative diagnostic technology using Dielectrophoresis and Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy, for early non-invasive detection of oral cancer/precancer (Demosthenous, Fedele).

Assessing the role of oral microbiome in development of oral cancer and identifying biomarkers of progression and possible novel targets of preventative and therapeutic interventions (Fedele, Porter, Nair).

Repurposing medications to reverse soft tissue fibrosis (pentoxifilline and tocopherol) and treat osteoradionecrosis of the jawbones (pentoxifilline, tocopherol and clodronate) (Fedele).

Discovering genetic biomarkers of the risk to develop medication-related jawbone osteonecrosis (Fedele, Porter).

Using novel delivery systems with hybrid biodegradable molecularly imprinted polymeric nanomaterial to deliver gene therapy to irradiated salivary glands of head and neck cancer survivors with chronic hyposalivation (Poma).