Steffan Nawrocki, PhD
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
A new strategy to overcome drug resistance in ovarian cancer
Platinum-based chemotherapy is prevalently used for the treatment of ovarian cancer. The prognosis for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer is extremely poor, and new treatments for this disease are urgently needed. Dr. Nawrocki‘s preliminary data indicate that protein degradation may be an essential process that is required for resistance to platinum-chemotherapy as its inhibition reverses cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer models. The goal of this project is to define the mechanisms by which protein degradation regulates chemosensitivity. He hypothesizes that protein turnover is required for the development of resistance to platinum chemotherapy and that it can be targeted to improve overall survival.