Joseph Califano

Joseph Califano is a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and Surgery at the University of California, San Diego, and serves as the Director of the Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center. His research focuses on HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer, epigenetic biomarkers, and translational oncology. He leads multiple NIH-funded projects, including studies on plasma/saliva biomarkers for HPV-related cancers (R01CA243393) and point-of-care tests for oral cancer risk (R01CA204264).

Dr. Califano's research interests span head and neck cancer biology, viral oncology, and biomarker discovery. His work emphasizes the role of HPV in carcinogenesis, tumor microenvironment modulation, and non-invasive diagnostic innovations using salivary genomics. Recent studies explore YAP-driven malignant transformation, ecDNA enhancers, and immune evasion mechanisms.

His publications predominantly investigate clinical oncology themes: HPV detection methodologies, immunotherapy targets, and radiation therapy guidelines for oropharyngeal cancer. Trends include biomarker validation, single-cell genomic analyses, and therapeutic optimization for head and neck malignancies.

He directs translational initiatives at the Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, integrating molecular diagnostics with clinical care. His grants include collaborative projects like the Howard University/Johns Hopkins Partnership in HPV-Related Cancer Research (P20CA192988).