Investigators

Summary

Dr. Hempel's research aims to better understand molecular mechanisms that regulate metastasis and tumor progression, with the ultimate goal of identifying novel targets for therapy of advanced-stage disease. Her research efforts have specifically focused on mechanisms by which tumor cells adapt to stress and her past research on the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase SOD2 has significantly contributed to the understanding that antioxidant enzymes have dichotomous roles during tumor progression. Dr. Hempel’s current research efforts focus on ovarian cancer, which remains the deadliest gynecologic malignancy due to its late-stage diagnosis when significant peritoneal metastatic spread has already taken place, high rates of recurrence and chemoresistance development. Currently, Dr. Hempel’s research group uses a variety of molecular, cellular, imaging, and in vivo techniques to focus on several research areas in ovarian cancer biology, including 1. elucidating the regulation and role of antioxidant enzymes and reactive oxygen species in metastatic tumor cells; 2.identifying novel regulators of anoikis resistance during transcoelomic metastasis; and 3. studying the regulation of mitochondrial fission/fusion and mitochondrial metabolism during ovarian cancer progression.