The objective of this review is to summarize recent research advances in the detection and prevention of ovarian cancer and discuss the experts' opinions of future directions. The 12th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium was held in Seattle, Washington, in September 2018. At this meeting, experts in ovarian cancer research gathered to present and discuss recent breakthroughs and their visions of future ovarian cancer research. Session 1 of the symposium focused on the detection and prevention of ovarian cancer. It included two invited oral presentations from Ranjit Manchanda, MD, PhD (Barts Cancer Institute) and Rosana Risques, PhD (University of Washington). Another eight oral presentations were selected from abstract submissions. Fifteen abstracts were presented in poster format. These presentations covered topics including cellular origin of high-grade serous cancer, risk factors for ovarian cancer, new methods for early detection of ovarian cancer, mechanisms underlying ovarian cancer development, and new therapeutic approaches for preventing ovarian cancer from forming or progressing. In conclusion, a clear understanding of the cellular origin and molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation of high-grade serous cancer is essential for developing effective means for early detection and prevention of this most devastating type of ovarian cancer. Recognizing the complexity of ovarian cancer and appreciating that ovarian cancer is not a single disease will help us to generate proper models, design rational experiments, and collect and analyze patient data in a meaningful way. A concerted effort in the field will help to bridge the basic science and clinical applications and lead to more precise and effective detection and treatment.