The Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance (MIOCA) is proud to support innovative ovarian cancer research and remains committed to funding work that moves us closer to earlier detection and better treatment outcomes for this disease.

In 2025, MIOCA was pleased to award the Geri Fournier Ovarian Cancer Research Grant to Principal Investigator Abdulsalam Soofi, PhD, at the University of Michigan. The Geri Fournier Ovarian Cancer Research Award, named in honor of MIOCA’s co-founder, was established to support the crucial research taking place in Michigan. This $50,000 grant is made possible through the support and generosity of donors.

Dr. Soofi’s study investigates how changes in two proteins, known as Pax2 and Pax8, may cause stress within cells and trigger early transformation events that precede cancer development. These early cellular changes may occur long before cancer is detectable. By identifying these signals, Dr. Soofi’s research aims to help lay the foundation for more precise screening tools and earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Earlier detection remains a critical need in ovarian cancer research. With no reliable early detection test currently available, studies like Dr. Soofi’s are essential to understanding how ovarian cancer begins and how it might be identified at its earliest stages, when treatment is most effective.

We look forward to following the progress of Dr. Soofi’s important research and the impact it may have on the future of ovarian cancer detection.