Work in collaboration with Durga Udayakumar, Ph.D.
Objective
Our goal is to prove that targeted MBs injected in the cervix followed by saline flush to wash unattached MBs, will highlight small Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) allowing their detection. If we are successful we will improve overall survival of women with EOC.
Methods
We are proposing a novel technique that combines ultrasound imaging with a novel contrast agent with a minor modification of the existing clinically approved agent.
Results
We have produced folate targeted MBs and validated their ability to target to ovarian cancer cells in vivo. We aim to maximize targeting in vitro and prove our hypothesis in vivo using a mouse model that mimics early EOC.