Queensland scientists will investigate the genetic pathway of ovarian cancer stem cells in a bid to better understand the aggressive disease.
Dr Ying Dong and Professor Judith Clements from Queensland University of Technology have shown previously that secondary ovarian cancer tumour cells are resistant to chemotherapy.
'The key to fighting this cancer could be to identify the molecular or gene pathways that regulate it, such as the stem cells,' said Dr Dong.
'They are the cells that change and build resistance to the chemotherapy.'
The team's collaborators in India, including Dr Sharmila Bapat, were the first in the world to identify ovarian cancer stem cells.
Dr Bapat's team will use 3D modelling by Dr Dong to mimic the environment of tumours and study how ovarian cancer cells respond to chemotherapy.
'Together, we will investigate the role of these pathways and test their potential as therapeutic targets,' Dr Dong said.
'We hope we will be able to help design more effective treatment for women with ovarian cancer with this knowledge.'
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Ovarian cancer stem cells investigated