“Cancer is not a vague notion — it’s a real and devastating disease that strikes young and old alike. And no one is immune to its effects. Having lost two of my closest friends to cancer, I am still feeling immense hope for the future.” Michael Annichine, CEO, Magee-Womens Research Institute
As the leader in women’s health research, it is Magee-Womens Research Institute’s mission to pioneer discovery in unexplored and unanswered areas affecting women and infants. We must continually seek out collaborations that help us advance our science and discoveries, be they economic, scientific, political or cultural. One leader in the fight against cancer is located right here in Pittsburgh where a special collaborative group of researchers is working to reduce the incidence and death from women’s cancers.
The Women’s Cancer Research Center (WCRC) is a joint venture between MWRI and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center in western Pennsylvania. The WCRC has already made great strides in precision medicine for breast cancer and understanding why certain cancers metastasize. And now, we are embarking on a visionary mission to prevent and improve survival rates for ovarian cancer.
Ovarian biology is one of those largely unknown areas of research. When a woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it is often at a late stage and, almost always fatal. We continually ask ourselves, “How can we detect this disease earlier?” “What if we could make ovarian cancer less deadly?” Admittedly, the disease is elusive, but we are making progress. Our work for the past 20 years in immunotherapy as a response to this disease is unique. MWRI researchers have already been working toward biomarker identification for earlier and more efficient diagnosis, as well as a personalized ovarian cancer vaccine based on antigens from individual patients’ own tumors. Our researchers study the genetic underpinnings of ovarian dysfunction and abnormalities which lead to accelerated aging, as well as the connections between endometriosis and ovarian cancer.
Recognized by the NCI for our innovation in this area, we received one of only four prestigious Specialized Program of Research Excellence grants in the United States. In addition to this grant, the generosity and forward-thinking leaders of the Eden Hall Foundation will help establish The Comprehensive Ovarian Biology Research Center. This center will harness the power of big data, genetics, and targeted research to develop novel strategies for early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ovarian cancer. The addition of world-renowned ovarian cancer researcher Dr. Ronald Buckanovich complements the superior talents of the existing MWRI faculty, and brings us closer to understanding how ovarian cancer develops.
Taking a 360-degree view of ovarian cancer, and of women’s health in general, will propel discovery and help more women survive. The generous support of our donors and innovative leaders gives our researchers the opportunity to unravel more mysteries about ovarian cancer and come another step closer to improving the lives of cancer patients and survivors.