Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of the cancers of the female reproductive tract. Despite ongoing efforts, our current knowledge of ovarian cancer does not provide a clear understanding of the molecular biology of this highly complex and heterogeneous disease. This understanding is crucial for identifying potential therapeutic targets, developing preventative strategies, and discovering useful molecular markers of early stage disease. This application seeks to provide an understanding of the potential action of a novel protein, known as VEPH1, in ovarian cancer. We have found this protein to be present in high levels in aggressive ovarian cancer cells grown in the laboratory and some ovarian cancer tumors from patients have been shown to have multiple copies of the gene encoding this protein. Our preliminary data supports a role for this protein in affecting the activity of several molecular pathways known to promote cancer initiation and/or progression. We propose to further explore the impact of VEPH1 on these pathways and to define the mechanisms by which VEPH1 can promote ovarian cancer growth and dissemination.