Dr. Le's laboratory research interest focuses on the identification of biomarkers for prognosis in patients with head and neck or lung cancers. Current research goals are: to validate the prognostic significance of certain hypoxia markers using clinical samples from a randomized phase III clinical trial and to monitor the tumor burden of HPV-related head and neck cancers during therapy by tracking circulating HPV DNA in the blood. They are also looking to target Galectin-1 (an immunomodulator that is over expressed in many cancers and is associated with tumor aggressiveness) in combination with radiation in solid tumors, and to identify a microRNA signature in lung cancer. Additionally, we are working to isolate human salivary gland stem cells and to manipulate key molecular pathways involved in radiation injury of salivary glands in hopes of rescuing salivary gland function after head & neck radiation therapy.

Dr. Le is also conducting a number of clinical trials specifically in patients with head and neck cancer. She is the chair the Head and Neck Cancer Committee of the NRG Oncology group, which is a cooperative group consisting of RTOG, NSABP and GO. She works with committee with develop and conduct several large phase II and III trials to advance the clinical management of head and neck cancer in North American and hopefully to establish new standards of care in these cancers.