Dr Dong added that QUT's research collaborator in India, Dr Sharmila Bapat, and her team were the first in the world to identify ovarian cancer stem cells and predict potential gene pathways using bioinformatic analysis. They will use the 3D-suspension model that Dr Dong developed to mimic the microenvironment of the metastatic tumour to study ovarian cancer cells' response to chemotherapy. Dr Dong will also use the model with cancer cells taken from patients with this tumor.

"Together, we will investigate the role of these pathways and test their potential as therapeutic targets," Dr Dong said. "We hope we will be able to help design more effective treatment for women with ovarian cancer with this knowledge."