Named Grant:

Dr. Jerry Gross Memorial Project Grant

About the Investigator:

Dr. Ashur-Fabian performs basic and preclinical research to improve the understanding of, and develop new drugs for, aggressive cancers. She is currently an Associate Professor at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, and the Director of Translational Oncology Research at Meir Medical Center, focusing on metabolic changes in cancer. She holds several patents and is presently involved in commercializing a ‘first-in-class’ cancer treatment.

About the Research:

Ovarian carcinoma ranks fifth in cancer incidence in women, and each year 400-500 new cases are discovered in Israel. Sadly, the outcome of most ovarian cancer patients is poor and is often the result of the emergence of drug resistance. In order to overcome treatment resistance, a deeper understanding of resistance mechanisms is urgently needed.

An enzyme called DIO3 was shown to be involved in cancer growth, including ovarian cancer. Dr. Ashur-Fabian’s aim is to study the potential role played by DIO3 in ovarian cancer treatment resistance and the impact of inhibiting this enzyme as a novel approach for sensitizing cells to drugs. Cancer treatment continues to be a daily battle for ovarian cancer patients, and finding new treatment options is a real challenge. Her research could potentially highlight some possible new mechanisms in the fight against cancer that may be directed towards novel treatment modalities for cancer patients, in general, and ovarian cancer patients, in particular.