Home
Slide 1
Slide 2
Slide 3
Slide 4
Slide 5

Advancing the Frontiers of Knowledge

Research, teaching, and publication portfolio.

Research Projects

Research Projects

Current and Past

Project 01

Translational Oncology

I have identified a translational Gap (TG) in glioma research defined as the failure to incorporate important findings in basic research into clinical trials. The TG explains why despite important breakthrough in the field of cancer biology do not necessarily translate into better outcomes for patients We recently found that a translational gap is also present in lung cancer research (manuscript submitted). Future research in this area will be important to implement new policies into the design of clinical trials in order to reduce the TG.

Key References:

Project 02

The Stemness Phenotype Model

Over the last ten years working in collaboration with colleagues from my primary institutions (The Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Hampton University) I contributed to shifting the rigid cancer stem cell model of tumor biology to a new and more plastic interconversion model of cancer cells: I have postulated the first alternative model of cancer stem cells (The Stemness Phenotype Model, SPM) in 2010. Key predictions of this model has been experimentally validated and have profound implications for translational oncology.

Key References:

Project 03

Contribution to Chemotherapy

I generated a fast and simple method to obtain multidrug resistant cancer cells by growing cells under prolonged periods of serum starvation (8-12 days). Considering that the generation of drug resistant cells line take months (~ 6 and up to 18 months) this method offers significant advantages over existing cellular models of chemoresistance. I have uncovered a novel mechanism of chemoresistance of cancer cells (rewiring of signaling pathways) I identified several compounds that selectively target multidrug resistant cancer cells with little or no toxicity to non-cancer cells.

Key References:

Project 04

Contribution to the cell cycle and DNA replication field

I discovered the first intra S-phase checkpoint in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila and participated in the discovery of the first RNA molecule involved in the regulations of DNA replication.

Key References:

Project 05

Biomedical Research and Development.

have recently engaged in new projects and collaborations exploring new technologies: In collaboration with a research group based in Argentina, I have recently explored new DNA-based aptamers tools for 1) cell separation and, 2) diagnosis and identification of biomarkers relevant to cancer biology and 3) Aptamer-conjugated nanoparticles for selective drug delivery into cancer cells. We have developed an aptazyme for the histological detection of the tumor suppressor marker PTEN and developed new aptamers able to recognize other relevant biomarkers. I am also collaborating with researchers from Hampton University and the University of California at Irvine in a project aimed at designing and fabricating microfluidic-based devices for the phenotipic characterization and sorting of cancer cells utilizing electrical impedance spectroscopy.

Key References:

www.yakisich.com