Education

Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine, McGill University, 1989

M.D. Warsaw Medical School, Warsaw, 1981

B.S. 2^nd Royal Gymnasium Stefan Batory, Warsaw 1975

Research Interests

   The main goal of my laboratory is to advance research in the areas of unmet needs in medicine; a majority of primary brain tumors represents such needs. Our focus is on the identification of molecular markers/targets that are specific to brain tumors. We have uncovered several markers/targets that are present in most patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a brain tumor of dismal prognosis, but absent in normal organs. One of theses markers/targets is a restricted receptor for interleukin 13 (IL13) which utility for therapeutic interventions has already been demonstrated. For example, the first generation of our IL13-based cytotoxins, recombinant proteins that kill cancer cells via the restricted IL13 receptor, has just entered Phase III clinical trials worldwide. We have also uncovered a new ubiquitous oncogene-inducible factor that promotes blood vessels growth in GBM and a subset of specific transcription factors the activity of which may play a paramount role in GBM progression. New diagnostic/imaging/therapeutic strategies are being developed based on all these findings in order to improve the management of patients with brain tumors.

Recent Publications

Schwartzbaum, J.; Ahlbom, A.; Malmer, B.; Lonn, S.; Brookes, A. J.; Doss, H.; Debinski, W.; Henriksson, R.; Feychting, M. Polymorphisms associated with asthma are inversely related to glioblastoma multiforme. Cancer Res. 65:6459-6465; 2005.

Debinski, W.; Gibo, D. M. Fos-related antigen 1 modulates malignant features of glioma cells. Mol. Cancer Res. 3:237-249; 2005.

Madhankumar, A. B.; Mintz, A.; Debinski, W. Interleukin 13 mutants of enhanced avidity toward the glioma-associated receptor, IL13Ralpha2. Neoplasia. 6:15-22; 2004.

Mintz, A.; Gibo, D. M.; Madhankumar, A. B.; Debinski, W. Molecular targeting with recombinant cytotoxins of interleukin-13 receptor alpha2-expressing glioma. J. Neurooncol. 64:117-123; 2003.

Debinski, W.; Gibo, D.; Mintz, A. Epigenetics in high-grade astrocytomas: opportunities for prevention and detection of brain tumors. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 983:232-42.:232-242; 2003.

Zhou, G.; Ye, G. J.; Debinski, W.; Roizman, B. Engineered herpes simplex virus 1 is dependent on IL13Ralpha 2 receptor for cell entry and independent of glycoprotein D receptor interaction. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A 99:15124-15129; 2002.

Debinski, W. Local treatment of brain tumors with targeted chimera cytotoxic proteins. Cancer Invest 20:801-809; 2002.

Mintz, A.; Gibo, D. M.; Slagle-Webb, B.; Christensen, N. D.; Debinski, W. IL-13Ralpha2 is a glioma-restricted receptor for interleukin-13. Neoplasia. 4:388-399; 2002.

Madhankumar, A. B.; Mintz, A.; Debinski, W. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of alpha-helix D segment of interleukin-13 reveals new functionally important residues of the cytokine. J. Biol. Chem. 277:43194-43205; 2002.

Debinski, W.; Slagle-Webb, B.; Achen, M. G.; Stacker, S. A.; Tulchinsky, E.; Gillespie, G. Y.; Gibo, D. M. VEGF-D is an X-linked/AP-1 regulated putative onco-angiogen in human glioblastoma multiforme. Mol. Med. 7:598-608; 2001.

 Updated 08/16/2005