Hani Gabra, PhD, FRCP
Imperial College London
Therapeutic Delivery of OPCML Tumor Suppressor Protein Using Virus-Like Particles
Tumor suppressor proteins are natural cellular defense mechanisms against cancer because they keep tumor-causing proteins under control by promoting their degradation. OPCML is such a tumor suppressor; however, it is inactive in most cases of ovarian cancer. Dr. Gabra’s project aims to develop treatment for ovarian cancer by restoring OPCML presence in cancerous cells in the ovaries. In this entirely novel therapeutic approach, non-infectious virus-like particles will be used as vehicles to deliver the OPCML protein to cancer cells. Viroprotein therapy is very promising for cancer because it bypasses the clinical limitations of gene therapy. It also holds a great potential to be developed as therapy for many other types of cancer.