Dr Matt Hitchings, Senior Research Officer at Swansea University, is leading a multidisciplinary project – backed by funding from the Medical Research Council’s Impact Acceleration Account – that may provide a new and highly targeted approach to combating ovarian cancer.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest forms of ovarian cancer, often going undetected until it has reached an advanced stage. Its aggressive nature and resistance to traditional treatments highlight the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies.

At the core of this research is a family of molecules called MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are small, non-coding RNA sequences that play a key role in regulating gene expression. In healthy cells, miRNAs help maintain normal function by turning genes “on” or “off” as needed. However, in cancer cells, miRNA expression is often disrupted. This can result in the misregulation of key genes that control cell growth, division, and survival.

Some miRNAs act as oncogenes, promoting tumour growth, while others function as tumour suppressors, helping to prevent it. When their expression is altered in cancer, so too are the molecular pathways they control.

The study focuses on the targeted reintroduction of therapeutic miRNAs to restore balance, disrupt cancer-promoting genes, and reactivate tumour-suppressing processes.

The project brings together expertise from genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, and nanotechnology. The first aim is the development of a computational workflow that leverages existing molecular data to identify miRNAs and their gene targets that are misregulated in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. This bioinformatics-driven method allows the team to identify not just individual genes, but entire disrupted pathways that can be influenced by a single miRNA.

This approach is especially powerful because of miRNAs’ pleiotropic nature: one miRNA can regulate multiple genes, and by extension, multiple biological pathways. This opens up the possibility of achieving broader therapeutic effects compared to traditional single-target treatments.

The second key challenge the team is addressing is delivery. Free-floating miRNAs are rapidly degraded in the body and struggle to penetrate tissues. To overcome this, Dr Hitchings’ team has employed advanced nano-encapsulation technology. This method involves embedding miRNAs within nanoparticles, protecting them from degradation and improving their ability to reach and penetrate tumour cells.

Initial lab results are extremely promising. The team has identified several novel miRNA candidates that have not previously been explored for therapeutic use, which show strong activity when applied to ovarian cancer cell lines. These encapsulated miRNAs not only enter the cancer cells more efficiently but also lead to significantly higher levels of cancer cell death compared to unprotected forms.

This project represents a bold and innovative shift in cancer treatment – moving from broad-spectrum chemotherapy to precision molecular reprogramming. By combining cutting-edge bioinformatics with advanced nanotechnology, the team are creating tools that could transform how we treat ovarian cancer.

The long-term goal is to develop a platform that delivers targeted, side-effect-minimising therapies for high-risk patients. As the research progresses, it may also be adapted to other hard-to-treat cancers, making it a valuable step forward in personalised medicine.