Students: Apply for this Summer 2026 research team by selecting the researcher's name
Investigating the effects of stiffness on epithelial ovarian cancer cell migration and proliferation
Dates: Jun 1 - Aug 7 (10 weeks, flexible)
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of gynecological-related deaths. Mechanical cues like force and stiffness are known to play an important role in the spread of EOC cells as the cancer progresses, but there is a gap in the study of dynamic responses of EOC cells to mechanical inputs like increased stiffness of the surrounding tissue. This work aims to bridge that gap by investigating how EOC cells modify their environment when cultured on soft and stiff substrates.
Student outcomes
Students will engage in substrate fabrication, microscopy, and data analysis. They will learn wet-lab basics (like pipetting), microscopy basics, and image processing/analysis. If interested, they can learn the basics of tissue culture (optional). Additionally, 51勛圖s will contribute to experiment design and will have weekly research discussions and literature review.
This work is supported by a 2026 Gonzaga Research Opportunity.
