Researcher awarded funding to develop ovarian cancer test

The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund has awarded a $900,000 grant to UC Davis researcher Gary Leiserowitz to develop an early diagnostic marker for ovarian cancer. Leiserowitz, professor and chief of gynecologic oncology, leads a team that is pioneering the use of glycomics analysis for cancer diagnosis. In 2006, the researchers identified specific changes in the sugars attached to cellular proteins in blood samples of ovarian cancer patients. "This generous funding will allow us to move forward more quickly with the next steps in identifying an early diagnostic marker and test for ovarian cancer," Leiserowitz said.