PhD-studentship available to work on ovarian cancer

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The predominant form of ovarian cancer is high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) which accounts for 70% of ovarian cancers. The majority of patients initially respond to platinum-based therapy, but in 80-90% of cases, drug resistance will eventually emerge. Strategies are required to circumvent development of this resistance.

A PhD project entitled “Dynamic changes in FANC protein expression in ovarian cancer– impact on chemosensitivity and resistance” supported by the Melville Trust is available in the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre under supervision of Dr Simon Langdon and Prof Mark Arends to develop new insights into the roles of the Fanconi Anaemia (FANC) family of proteins in determining ovarian cancer drug responsiveness.

This project aims to explore further important changes and defects in FANC proteins that impact on ovarian cancer chemosensitivity. It will investigate inhibitors that impact FANC function as potential therapeutics. The project will be carried out using a panel of human ovarian cancer cell line models that were obtained before and after drug resistance developed. It will employ a number of cellular and molecular approaches including cell culture, protein and DNA techniques and functional assays.

The results of the project should help identify key FANC family members associated with chemosensitivity and chemoresistance and provide the basis for future targeted drug development.  

Related Links:

• PhD-studentship advertisement on the “FindAPhD” website
• Dr Langdon’s group web page
• Prof Arends’ Group web page
• Information about ovarian cancer