Carrie Rinker-Schaeffer, PhD
University of Chicago
Milky Spot Macrophages: Co-Conspirators in Omental Metastasis Formation
No one knows what microenvironmental interactions control ovarian cancer metastasis. Getting this crucial information requires a fresh look from a new perspective. Recently Dr. Rinker-Schaeffer’s lab made a novel connection between ovarian cancer metastatic colonization and structures on the omentum (tissues in the abdomen) that contain immune cells and are called milky spots. It is suspected that cancer cells take advantage of milky spots to promote their own survival and growth. This project will identify interactions between omental immune cells and cancer cells that can be targeted in combination with current therapies in order to suppress metastatic growth, improve quality of life, and extend disease-free survival.