Investigating the role of proteases in drug resistant ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynaecological cancer death in females in the UK, characterised by late diagnosis and chemotherapy resistance. We have recently demonstrated that the protease ADAMTS5 promotes ovarian cancer cell migration and invasion. ADAMTS5 has been suggested to contribute to drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma, however its role in ovarian cancer is unknown. This project aims to further explore the role of ADAMTS5 in modulating chemotherapy response in ovarian cancer cells. We hypothesise that the pharmacological inhibition of ADAMTS5 will increase ovarian cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs. The student will characterise the response of ovarian cancer cell lines to a range of chemotherapy drugs, elucidate the role of ADAMTS5 in these drug responses by using a highly specific ADAMTS5 pharmacological inhibitor. The findings will then be validated in 3D culture systems by embedding ovarian cancer cell spheroids in 3D matrices. The student will determine whether ADAMTS5 could represent a promising target to improve chemotherapy sensitivity in ovarian cancer. Students will need to find their own accommodation and be expected to present their findings orally at a research day in York on 08th September 2026.