Denise C. Connolly, Ph.D.
Fox Chase Cancer Center
The Role of STAT3 and p53 in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Project Summary
Research in our laboratory is directed toward the development, refinement and analysis of mouse models of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Mouse models of human cancers provide researchers with valuable tools to identify and study the underlying causes of tumor initiation and progression as well as the means to identify genetic and immune modifiers that are important in the disease process. Additionally, the availability of mouse models of human cancers provides us with the means to identify and evaluate strategies for prevention, detection and treatment of disease. We recently developed the first heritable model of EOC in mice by expression of the SV40 Large and small T antigens (TAg) under control of the 5'upstream regulatory sequences of the murine M?llerian inhibitory substance type II receptor (MISIIR) gene. We continue to utilize this model to identify additional molecular alterations that may contribute to disease, to develop in vivo imaging strategies and to evaluate potential therapeutic agents. Current studies are also focused on the development of genetically relevant mouse models of human EOC by conditional inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (e.g., BRCA1 and p53) and expression of activated oncogenes (e.g., STAT3) known to be important in the development and progression of ovarian cancer.
Bio
Dr. Denise Connolly is an Assistant Professor at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA.
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