Lay summary
Resveratrol is a natural occurring active compound, which can be found in grape skin and nuts. It has been shown to have anticancer properties in cancer cells. Metastatic ovarian cancer cells form a 3D multicellular structure to survive in the abdominal cavity of woman. Therefore, the 3D cell culture is of special interest in that it may represent a close approximation to in vivo conditions and thus give more realistic outcomes for potential future therapies. The progression of metastatic ovarian cancer needs vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for sustained growth and survival. Therefore, the inhibition of VEGF production may reduce the progression of ovarian cancer. I hypothesise that resveratrol can reduce the production of VEGF in metastatic ovarian cancer and that will lead to the subsequent growth inhibition. Thus, I will investigate the effects of resveratrol on the VEGF production in metastatic ovarian cancer. This study will provide details of the molecular basis of resveratrol's anti-tumour activities, which is likely to enable its more effective use in ovarian cancer patients.