Ilana Chefetz, PhDUniversity of Minnesota – Twin Cities2020 Lynda’s Fund Pilot Study Award AMPK-alpha-like proteins in a high grade serous ovarian cancer Although epithelial ovarian cancer responds well to initial treatment, the cancer recurs in a significant number of women. Once ovarian cancer recurs it is generally lethal, with fewer than 10% of patients surviving […]
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Melissa Fishel, PhDIndiana University School of Medicine Enhancement of ovarian cancer to chemotherapeutics agents, cisplatin and TMZ, using small molecules, BG and MX With the exception of a small percentage of patients presenting with stage IA/IB ovarian cancer, surgery along is inadequate treatment. However, virtually all patients who die from ovarian cancer have intrinsic or […]
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Jason Wilken, PhD, BSYale University Overcoming Primary Herceptin Resistance in Ovarian Cancer Herceptin, a therapeutic antibody that targets ErbB2 and has a well-tolerated safety profile has proven exceptionally useful as a treatment for ErbB2+ breast cancer patients. Surprisingly, Herceptin has proven to be ineffective as a treatment option for ovarian cancer. Dr. Wilken, with the […]
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Jean-Bernard Lazaro, PhDDana-Farber Cancer Institute Targeting DNA repair genes and the nucleolar proteome to increase cisplatin sensitivity in ovarian cancer Patients with ovarian cancer who are treated with cisplatin often develop resistance to the drug, as cisplatin acts by damaging cellular DNA, which in turn induces apoptosis. Repair of cisplatin-induced DNA damage by a few […]
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Elda Righi, MDMassachusetts General Hospital Blockade of the CXCL12 and VEGF axes in ovarian cancer One of the reasons ovarian cancer progresses with few evident symptoms may be the combination of ways in which the cancer escapes the patient’s immune system and organizes a vascular supply to serve its own needs. CXCL12 and VEGF are […]
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Masafumi Toyoshima, MD, PhDFred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Identification of Targeted Therapies for MYC-Amplified Ovarian Cancer By Functional Genomics The main goal of Dr. Toyoshima’s research is to investigate whether MYC synthetic lethal genes can be therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer in women whose MYC gene is amplified. Using a siRNA screening strategy this study […]
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Young Min Chung, PhDStanford University Targeting Ovarian Cancer with Combination of Olaparib and Trifluoperazine Dr. Chung is developing innovative therapeutic strategies by combining a clinically used small-molecule drug called trifluoperazine (TFP) and a chemical compound named Olaparib, which is an inhibitor of an enzyme called PARP, to suppress advanced ovarian cancer and to overcome PARP […]
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John Liao, MD, PhDUniversity of Washington2011 Gilman Family Scholar Development of a Polyepitope DNA Vaccine for Ovarian Cancer Immunotherapy While ovarian cancer patients can respond to chemotherapy and achieve remission, the majority of advanced stage patients succumb to recurrent disease. Strategies harnessing the immune system have the potential to augment available therapies, prolong remissions, and […]
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Anne Noonan, MB BCh BAO, MSc, MRCPINational Cancer Institute2012 Gilman Family Scholar Proteomic biomarker development for optimal sequencing of doxetaxel & SMACmimetic The drug TL32711 can stimulate ovarian cancer cell death by decreasing proteins that inhibit cell death and decreasing signaling through the NFkB signalling pathway that is known to be overactive in ovarian cancer. […]
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Christina Gewinner, PhDUniversity College London 2012 Skacel Family Scholar Identification of novel drug targets for INPP4B-deficient ovarian tumours Dr. Gewinner’s lab has previously identified a gene called inositol polyphosphate 4-phosphatase type II (INPP4B) which no longer functions in approximately 40% of ovarian tumors. Patients with such tumors have poor survival rates. She has demonstrated that INPP4B […]
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