Targeting the nucleoli as a strategy to treat ovarian cancer

This thesis explores targeting the nucleolus, a cellular structure housing the "protein-making machinery" essential for protein synthesis, which cancer cells rely on for uncontrolled growth. Disruption of this structure effectively halts protein production, revealing a significant vulnerability in cancer cells. This can be accomplished through a unique cellular response, known as nucleolar stress. Despite its importance, the main players and pathways involved in the nucleolar stress response remain poorly understood. By employing an innovative high-throughput screening approach, this thesis uncovered new regulators and pathways associated with nucleolar stress, along with novel compounds that specifically target the nucleolus, using high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) as a model system. These findings collectively highlight targeting the nucleolus could be an effective approach for cancer therapy.