Researchers at IISER Bhopal have found that depleting the production of a specific protein kinase (PAK2) has a cascading effect in head and neck cancer. The expression of both cancer gene (c-Myc) and cancer-specific metabolic enzyme (PKM2) gets compromised when PAK2 protein is depleted. Inhibitors developed to target the PAK2 protein are more likely to be successful in treating head and neck cancer and reducing resistance to cancer drugs.