Head and neck cancer are the sixth most common cancer worldwide and its diagnostic rate is approximately 630,000 new patients a year with more than 350,000 deaths every year. The majority (approximately 90%) of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) that arise from the stratified squamous epithelial cell lining of the upper aerodigestive tract. The five-year survival rates for HNSCC are relatively low because primary tumor detection at initial stages and relapse prevention has not improved. While several protein biomarkers are linked to some types of HNSCC, an extensive profile of such markers for two representative cell lines (FaDu and CAL27) is not well established. This project set out to detect both similarities and differences between the two cell lines regarding the expression of some biomarker proteins utilizing Western Blot analysis and immunohistochemistry analysis, but less than 10% of the antibodies initially tested by Western Blot analysis yielded positive/expected results and cells cultured on glass multi-chamber slides yielded unexpected levels and localization of target biomarker signals. Ultimately, we set out to establish that the hamster cheek pouch xenotransplantation model can accept HNSCC, and the hamster cheek pouch xenotransplantation model did accept the growth of HNSCC, specifically FaDu. Also observed in the in vivo transplant masses was a putative immune/inflammatory cell infiltration phenomenon. However, we were not able to identify the specific types of host animal cells that were involved in that phenomenon.