Over 12,000 women die of ovarian cancer every year, yet ovarian cancer receives less than 1% of research funding compared to other solid tumors. Early symptoms can often mimic less serious conditions, and delayed diagnoses mean that 80% of ovarian cancer cases are metastatic at the time of detection. For these patients, the 5-year survival rate is less than 50%. Those who beat the odds develop lymph-node like structures called tertiary lymphoid organs, with autoimmune memory to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Our team is developing injectable immune organs (iNodes) that could transform treatment by boosting immune responses to enable the formation of lymphoid organs and improving ovarian cancer survival rates by at least 50%. This innovative approach may also benefit other cancers and diseases by enhancing immune system effectiveness.