UC San Diego Undergraduate Library Research Prize

Winner 2024 Life & Health Sciences Category, nominated by Weg M. Ongkeko (Department of Surgery)

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is a cancer of the mucosal epithelium in the oral cavity, larynx, and pharynx. It is the 6th most common cancer worldwide and is typically diagnosed at later stages, resulting in lower survival rates compared to other major cancers. Current diagnostic methods include tissue biopsy, lymph node biopsy, ultrasound, immunochemistry, CT, MRI, and PET. The goal of this project is to develop a blood-based diagnostic test for HNSCC less invasive and more cost-effective than current methods. The test utilizes the microbiome and genomics to effectively diagnose patients in early stages. The blood microbiome showed many species to be differentially abundant between cancer and normal samples, with significant overlap between blood and tissue microbiomes. The microbiome shows promising potential as a diagnostic tool in blood samples for HNSCC detection, with potential expansion to include additional markers.