Ovarian cancer is known as the silent killer due to lack of clear symptoms and the absence of a reliable screening test. More than 70 percent of women are diagnosed after the disease has spread beyond the ovary, and the five-year survival rate is less than 40 percent.

Dr. Rasim Guldiken, University of South Florida (USF), received a Bankhead-Coley 2010 New Investigator Research Grant to develop a simple, cost-effective, reliable test to detect early stage ovarian cancer. The test can be used just like a pregnancy test and consists of a tiny nanosensor chip the team designed to measure a urinary protein present in ovarian cancer. When the protein is present, the test prompts patients to follow-up with a doctor.

“If we identify people early on so we can treat them, we can improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs for ovarian cancer. Since the test can be done at home, it offers a strong advantage, especially for underserved patients in remote areas,” Dr. Guldiken explained. In contrast to current technology, the nanosensor is low-cost at less than $1 each and battery operated. According to Dr. Guldiken, there is nothing currently available like this in the field, and the team has applied for a patent.

“Before I received my Bankhead-Coley Grant, I only had an idea of what patients might need. Now I am testing a prototype with urine from ovarian cancer patients. While the grant has enabled me to do everything, on a broader scale, the Bankhead-Coley and King Grants are promoting biomedical training within the state and enhancing Florida’s reputation for research. This in turn has a positive effect on human health as well as Florida’s economy.”

Physician, Researchers, and Engineers Unite to Advance

Dr. Patricia Kruk, a USF Health professor of pathology and cell biology, identified the protein that is an indication of ovarian cancer and serves as Dr. Guldiken’s mentor on the Bankhead-Coley Grant. In addition, grant support provides for a team of consultants including a mechanical engineer, a physician, and an expert in nano technology. Dr. Guldiken, a mechanical engineer, noted a project like this is impossible without a multidisciplinary team.

“I’m learning how to combine engineering to solve a clinical problem through conversations with physicians. That’s what I was missing before this grant – a medical perspective about what patients need. We are training a team of five including electrical and biomedical engineers to develop this prototype.”

“While I’m getting trained to work on early detection in ovarian cancer, the skills I’ve acquired will easily transfer to many other health problems. I view the training I’m receiving in this grant as preparation for decades of work.”