# Acylcarnitine Metabolism in Ovarian Cancer Chemoresistance

> **NIH CA R01** · WISTAR INSTITUTE · 2026 · $671,518

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most prevalent histosubtype of epithelial ovarian cancer.
Therapy for HGSOC relies on DNA damaging agents, with a high percentage of cancers having de novo or
acquired chemoresistance due in part to homologous recombination (HR) proficiency. Our preliminary data has
uncovered a potential metabolic mechanism contributing to HR proficiency that could be used for novel targeted
therapies for HGSOC. This proposal tests the overarching hypothesis that acetylcarnitine increases site specific
histone acetylation post-translational modifications that promote HR-mediated DNA damage repair and allow
resistance to standard-of-care DNA damaging agents in HGSOC. Manipulation of acetylcarnitine will therefore
sensitize HGSOCs to DNA damaging agents. This project will: 1) quantitatively and mechanistically map the
acetylcarnitine-dependent histone acetylation axis and its contribution to HR-mediated DNA repair; and 2)
interrogate whether interventions that suppress intracellular acetylcarnitine sensitize HGSOCs to standard-of-
care DNA damaging agents. Targeting acetylcarnitine metabolism for sensitization to DNA damaging agents is
a novel strategy. Ultimately, this research will help develop metabolic therapeutic strategies against
chemoresistance that occurs in many cancer patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11379433
- **Project number:** 7R01CA298386-02
- **Recipient organization:** WISTAR INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Katherine Marie Aird; Nathaniel W. Snyder
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** CA
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $671,518
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2025-01-01T00:00:00 → 2029-12-31T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11379433

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11379433, Acylcarnitine Metabolism in Ovarian Cancer Chemoresistance (7R01CA298386-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11379433. Licensed CC0.

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