Background

Courses taught at Western University :

Within Basic Medical Sciences Curriculum and jointly with BMS Faculty: Genetics, Genomics, Genetic Disorders, and Introduction to Gene Therapy. These lectures will be aimed at introducing future physicians into basics of genetic diagnoses and cutting edge gene therapies.

Within Anatomy Curriculum and jointly with Anatomy Faculty: Introduction to Functional Molecular Imaging including Computer Assisted Tomography (CAT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasonography (USG). Based upon in vivo imaging of selected molecules within the entire human body, these lectures will be aimed at integrating basic medical sciences and anatomy with future clinical applications.

Selected Publications:

• Malecki M., Hsu A., Truong L., Sanchez S. 2001. Molecular immunolabeling with bioengineered recombinant scFv antibodies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (online 23 rd of December 2001) 99:213.
• Malecki M. 2002. Molecular bioengineering of multifunctional markers for positron emission tomography (PET), Gammascintigraphy (GS), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Microsc & Microanal 1:97.
• Malecki M., Hsu A., Truong L., Nowak M., L Vanne K., Sundaram S., Watkins J., Grist T. 2001. Bioengineering of recombinant Antibody-chelate fusion proteins for molecular imaging and image guided therapy. Antibody Bioengineering 2003, 1, 69.
• Malecki M., Konat G., Hsu A., L Alhambra D., Malecki R., Pietruszkiewicz J. Nanosurgery on cancer. ESSO 2006, 1, 8
• Malecki M. 2007. HER2/neu gene expression products evaluated with superparamagnetic, genetically engineered antibodies for magnetic resonance imaging. Proc. Of Acad. Of Sci. 86, 287.
• Malecki M. 2008. Ovarian cancer suicide gene therapy with genetically engineered intracellular scFv antibodies. Proc. Of Acad. Of Sci. (accepted)

Research Interests:

Genomics and proteomics of osteopathic therapies (jointly with Dr Darmani). The aim of this work is to elucidate, with the aid of modern techniques of biotechnology, mechanisms of osteopathic therapies. This will include analysis of the data with QRT PCR, microarrays CGH, and molecular imaging of the samples obtained from patients undergoing osteopathic and other therapies.

Ovarian, breast, and brain cancer suicide gene therapy. The specific aim of this work is to target cancer cells with the transgenes inducing their suicide (apoptosis). This will cause selective cancer cells deaths, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. This project also involves regeneration of the damaged tissues with engineered cells. This therapy is essential for curing organs, which cannot be replaced with transplants (my ovarian cancer suicide gene therapy was recognized at Women s Health Magazine as one of the five most promising medical developments for women s health in Aug. 2008 http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/health-updates).