Identifying actionable targets for MRCK inhibition with BDP9066 in ovarian cancer

Candidate: Amin Nooranikhojasteh
Supervisor: Dr. Michael Olson

ABSTRACT

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) represents a lethal type of cancer, accounting for approximately 70-80% of ovarian cancer deaths. Despite advancements in treatment strategies, the overall survival rate remains poor, primarily due to late-stage diagnosis and the development of chemoresistance. The identification of novel biomarkers for HGSOC is crucial for improving early detection, predicting prognosis, and developing targeted therapies. This study builds upon the work of Hasanain et al. (2018), who investigated functional cell-surface markers in HGSOC, with a particular focus on CD151. While their study provided valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets, the present analysis aims to expand on this by conducting a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of HGSOC cell lines to identify additional biomarkers and explore the heterogeneity within these cancer cells. This study aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on HGSOC biology and potentially inform future strategies for biomarker development and targeted therapies. The integration of multiple analytical approaches, including dimensionality reduction techniques, clustering algorithms, and functional enrichment analyses, allows for a comprehensive exploration of the dataset and increases the robustness of the findings.