2013 Mentored Investigator Grant Recipient — Ronald Chandler, PhD
Project Summary
Ovarian clear-cell and endometrioid carcinomas are among the endometriosis-associated epithelial tumor subtypes with the lowest survival rate. Many of these tumors harbor mutations in ARID1A, an essential protein subunit within the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex. The goals of this research are to improve our understanding of the functional impact of ARID1A mutations in the cellular and molecular events leading to ovarian cancer through the use of genetically engineered mouse ovarian tumor models. These models will not only further our understanding of the causal relationship that exists between endometriosis and ovarian cancer, but also provide clinicians with a genetically relevant “test bed” for future preclinical drug testing.