Mythreye Karthikeyan, PhD
University of South Carolina
Specific targeting of Inhibin in ovarian cancers lacking the Type-III TGF-β receptor
Ovarian cancer is associated with a high degree of heterogeneity (meaning the tumors differ from patient to patient), highlighting the importance of developing individualized treatment. Changes in the levels of the growth factors belonging to the Transforming Growth Factor (TGF-β) family, specifically Inhibin, are frequently found in ovarian cancer. In addition, loss of the receptor for Inhibin on the surface of ovarian cancer cells, namely Type III TGF-β receptor, is also frequently observed. The goal of Dr. Karthikeyan‘s project is to evaluate the pre-clinical feasibility of specifically targeting Inhibin so that it will interact with one class of receptors and not another in order to prevent Inhibin‘s ability to promote tumor growth and metastasis, thereby improving personalized treatment strategies for ovarian cancer.