Kyle Payne, PhD

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer and has very few treatment options. However, there is hope that new types of treatment that help the body’s own immune system fight cancer could help patients live longer. Scientists have found that ovarian cancer patients who have more T cells—special immune cells that can find and kill cancer—often survive longer than patients with fewer T cells. But we still don’t fully understand what T cells are targeting when they attack ovarian cancer cells. This lack of knowledge has slowed down the development of better immune-based treatments for this disease. Our study is trying to solve this problem. Using new technology, we plan to discover what T cells are looking for when they fight ovarian cancer. We also want to create a new treatment that helps T cells better find and kill cancer cells. To do this, we will use a method called mass spectrometry to find targets on the tumor cells. Then we will use computer tools and lab tests in animal models to see if T cells can recognize and respond to those targets. If this approach works, we will move forward with a clinical trial to test if the new treatment helps ovarian cancer patients live longer. We also believe this work could lead to new treatments for other types of cancer.