Other Programs Within the Roswell Park – University of Chicago Ovarian Cancer SPORE

Developmental Research Program

Co-Leaders: Kirsten Moysich, PhD, MS; Richard Koya, MD, PhD

The Developmental Research Program (DRP) of the Roswell Park-University of Chicago Ovarian Cancer SPORE is a platform to support innovative, potentially high-risk/high-reward ideas with the potential to mature further into translational ovarian cancer research projects that will transition basic and/or population research findings into research focused on patients or human specimens. DRP funding encourages the development of the pilot projects into collaborative, multi-investigator, multi-institutional translational research programs, or as new Individual Research Projects. DRP projects are the ultimate measure of the success of a SPORE, forming the basis for future translational ovarian cancer research and providing springboards for the next generation of R01, P01, Consortium, and SPORE grants.

The goals of the proposal review process are not only to identify the most exciting projects, but to provide constructive critiques that are of value both for future submission of the projects to extramural funding sources, and for identifying potential collaborators and resources within the Roswell Park-University of Chicago Ovarian Cancer SPORE to increase the competitiveness of future applications. The DRP’s strength lies in its ability to respond rapidly to new initiatives and provide significant, timely financial support to high-risk/pilot projects.

Career Development Program

Co-Leaders: Kirsten Moysich, PhD, MSScott Abrams, PhD; Eileen Dolan, PhD

The purpose of the Career Enhancement Program (CEP) of the Roswell Park-University of Chicago Ovarian Cancer SPORE is to support the career development of junior researchers in translational ovarian cancer research. The target population for the program is outstanding entry-level (i.e. Assistant Professor) scientific and clinical faculty, but in some cases may include senior postdoctoral or clinical fellows with exceptional potential for independent research careers. A secondary goal of the CEP is to promote the diversity of ovarian cancer researchers, by encouraging the recruitment of outstanding women, underrepresented minorities and individuals with disabilities. The CEP will be supported by both SPORE funds and matching institutional funds from Roswell Park, the University of Chicago, and the University of Rochester.

The CEP serves as a structured mechanism for identifying outstanding candidates through an open and competitive application and review process and matching the resulting awardees with experienced mentors. CEP awardees are afforded full access to the Roswell Park-University of Chicago Ovarian Cancer SPORE Core resources, including tissue specimens and statistical support. The CEP provides a vital mechanism for the development of the next generation of translational ovarian cancer researchers.


Since 2022, the DRP and CEP have awarded pilot grants to 16 Roswell Park and University of Chicago investigators proposing highly novel translational ovarian cancer research projects.

Developmental Research Program (DRP)

  • Dr. Rikki Cannioto: Feasibility of a multi-center Fitbit-based physical activity intervention for mitigating treatment side effects and improving quality of life in epithelial ovarian cancer patients.
  • Dr. Richard C. Koya: Immunotherapy for ovarian cancer with BamHI-A rightward frame-1 (Barf1)-mediated regulation of myeloid cells.
  • Dr. Stephen J. Kron: Targeting telomerase reverse transcriptase to improve treatment of advanced ovarian cancer.
  • Dr. Animesh Barua: Inhibition of Tumor‐Induced Suppression of NK Cell Functions by Withaferin A Supplementation
  • Dr. Marco Davila: Antigen Switch Receptors to counter Antigen Shedding in Ovarian Cancer Ascites
  • Dr. Takemasa Tsuji: Modulation of CXCR6-CXCL16 axis to improve efficacy of adoptive cell therapy for ovarian tumors
  • Dr. Hajime Asada: Generating novel antibody-drug conjugates targeting B7H6
  • Dr. Yekaterina Leonova: LINE-1 ORF1p as a novel biomarker of ovarian cancer
  • Dr. Feng Qian: Effects of dietary trans-vaccenic acid in enhancing anti-tumor activity and immunotherapy efficacy in ovarian cancer

Career Enhancement Program (CEP)

  • Dr. Mark D. Long: Application of translational multi-omics approaches to derive the features of exceptional response to a novel combination immunotherapy regimen in chemotherapy refractory ovarian cancer.
  • Dr. A. J. Robert McGray: BiTE-secreting T cells for adoptive T cell therapy in Ovarian Cancer: Improving anti-tumor immunity by harnessing the potential of bystander TILs.
  • Dr. Abir Mukherjee: Effect of adipocytes on CD8+ T cell function.
  • Dr. Spencer Rosario: Defining metabolic changes associated with African American and European American females with High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.
  • Dr. Sridevi Challa: Role of cytosolic NAD+ in PARP inhibitor resistance
  • Dr. Heather Whitney: Computer-aided diagnosis for pre-operative assessment of adnexal lesions from ultrasound images
  • Dr. Dae-Kyum Kim: Deciphering the drug resistance mechanism of ovarian cancer against paclitaxel by proteome-wide overexpression perturbation

Contact us

Janine Joseph, MS, MBA
Janine Joseph, MS, MBA
SPORE Administrator