Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-31-2021

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic malignancies, and the patient survival rate has not changed significantly in 20 years. Patients are often diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease with widespread tumor cell dissemination and metastasis. Therefore, drivers of ovarian cancer metastasis need to be identified. In Chapter 2, we reveal the role of Rac1 in ovarian cancer metastasis using a combination of experimental and computational approaches. In Chapter 3, we demonstrate that changes in gene expression and cytokine levels within the immunosuppressive ovarian cancer tumor microenvironment are dependent on Rac1 expression and activity. Collectively, the studies detailed in this dissertation provide evidence that targeting of Rac1 in ovarian cancer has potential therapeutic benefit in decreasing tumor cell dissemination and metastasis.

Keywords

Rho GTPases, Rac1, ovarian cancer, metastasis, agent-based modeling

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Biomedical Sciences

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

First Committee Member (Chair)

Dr. Angela Wandinger-Ness

Second Committee Member

Dr. Laurie Hudson

Third Committee Member

Dr. Jennifer Gillette

Fourth Committee Member

Dr. Melanie Moses

Fifth Committee Member

Dr. Mara Steinkamp

Download

Share

COinS