Department of Physiology

The laying hen model of epithelial ovarian cancer offers the opportunity to investigate the early events leading to the establishment of the ovarian cancer. We are interested in what makes the environment of the ovary uniquely conducive to tumor growth. We are exploring the changes that occur in the ovarian stroma over time and as a result of a lifetime of ovulations that create this environment. Additionally, one of the earliest markers of the disease is the presence of E-cadherin positive cells in the stroma. We are determining the role of E-cadherin in the development of the tumorigenic phenotype.