History of the Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Nanooncology, or how I created the laboratory

It is only possible to achieve your goal if, without looking at the adversities and difficulties, you FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.

My history with veterinary medicine starts from my childhood, as I wanted to become a veterinarian and treat animals at the age of 3. I graduated from the Klementyna Hoffman Secondary School No IX in Warsaw with a biology and chemistry profile, and then I attended “Sikora” courses to be able to easily enter the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in 2003. In 2009, after graduating with honours from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, I started doctoral studies at the same Faculty, which marked the beginning of my scientific work. The goals I have pursued have led to the establishment of the Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Nanooncology, where, together with a team of enthusiastic, committed young people, we aim to help animals suffering from cancer using innovative research methods (including the simple western method) and nanoechnology (metal nanoparticles, mainly gold nanoparticles). 

We are conducting research work to develop personalised animal cancer therapy using gold nanoparticles. Our research focuses on canine osteosarcomas – the most common malignant bone tumours in dogs – and feline post-infectious sarcomas – tumours that arise by injection, including after the administration of vaccines against rabies and feline infectious diseases [1-5]. We are comparing the pathogenesis of tumours in animals and humans so that, in line with the principle of translational medicine, the results of our research can also be used in the future to improve cancer therapy in the latter.

As part of our research, we were the first in the world to develop a methodology for using the chicken embryo model as a model following the 3R principle (‘reduction’, ‘refinement’, ‘replacement’) for use in preclinical oncological research in veterinary medicine [10]. We use this model to learn more about tumour biology and evaluate the efficacy of new anti-cancer drugs for treating both primary tumours and cancer metastases [2, 3, 5, 7, 9-11].

We collaborate with veterinarians, medical doctors, biologists, biotechnologists, chemists and physicists as we are convinced that it is the interdisciplinary efforts that can lead us to the goal of developing a drug that will prolong life and improve the comfort of our “little patients” fighting cancer.

Highlights that contributed to the establishment of the Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Nanooncology (LNDiK):

2009 r. – graduation with honours from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, and obtaining the title of veterinary surgeon, as well as commencement of doctoral studies at the same Faculty

– cooperation with Professor Roman Lechowski, PhD, which resulted in the selection of a research topic on the use of gold nanoparticles in combination with doxorubicin for the treatment of post-infectious sarcomas in cats

2010 r. – establishing cooperation with the research group of Prof. Józef Mieczkowski from the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Warsaw, including Dr Michał Wójcik and then M.Sc. Wiktor Lewandowski – currently PhD, Prof. of the University of Warsaw – with whom we have continued our research to this day and without whose help the establishment of the Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Nanooncology would not have been possible. To the best of my knowledge, the established facility is the first veterinary laboratory in Poland dedicated to using nanotechnology in veterinary oncology.

– learning how to conduct cell culture under the direction of, at the time, Dr Magdalena Król (now Prof. Dr hab.). Use of the laboratories of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in the Department of Physiology (courtesy of Prof. Tomasz Motyl, then Head of the Department of Physiological Diseases and the Department of Animal Physiology, and Prof. Piotr Szeleszczuk, then Head of the Department of Bird Diseases and Dr Artur Żbikowski, now Head of the Department of Bird Diseases) to conduct the initial studies, fully adapted for these purposes.

2012 r. – a research internship at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Justus Liebig Universitat in Giessen (Germany), where I expanded my knowledge of cell culture and, courtesy of Prof. Manfred Reinecher, obtained my first research material, which was feline fibrosarcoma cell lines: FFS1, FFS3, FFS5

– receipt of the “Prelude” grant of the National Science Centre (No. 2012/07/N/NZ4/02413)

2013 r. – Defence of doctoral thesis with distinction and obtaining the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Sciences.

Thesis topic: “Effect of a biocomplex of colloidal gold nanoparticles in combination with doxorubicin on the development of feline post-infectious sarcomas – in vitro and in ovo studies” (Promoter: Prof. Dr. Roman Lechowski).

2014 r.  – participation in the “Mentoring” programme of the Foundation for Polish Science and meeting my Mentor – Prof. Mauro Ferrari – one of the founders of nanotechnology in the world (then President and CEO of the Houston Methodist Research Institute (USA), later President of the European Research Council), on whose support and help I can count to this day

2016 r. – receipt of a “Sonata” grant from the National Science Centre (no. 2015/17/D/NZ5/04241)

– establishment of the Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Nanooncology within the Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine thanks to the kindness of the authorities of the University and the Faculty, in particular the then Vice-Chancellor for Science – Prof. Marian Binek, the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – Prof. Marcin Bańbury and the Head of the Department of Internal Medicine – Prof. Roman Lechowski. Thanks for the enormous contribution to the creation of this laboratory are also due to the employees and doctoral students of the Department of Internal Medicine: dr. Agata Wojtkowska, dr. Anna Małek and dr. Anna Wojtalewicz.

2018 r. – Obtaining funding for research work carried out at the Laboratory from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education as part of the restructuring and funding of the Special Research Unit (SPUB)

– 3-month research internship in cancer biology, Trialect Global Medical Education Program, University of Torino (Turin, Italy)

– 2-week National Leading Centre (KNOW) research internship on the use of nanotechnology in oncology, Houston Methodist Research Institute (Texas, USA)

2019 r. – obtaining a postdoctoral degree

Postdoctoral thesis topic “Use of in vivo models in preclinical oncology research, including the application of nanotechnology”

2023r. – entrusting me with the function of Ambassador of the “Girls for Science” programme organised by the “Perspektywy” Educational Foundation

– promotion of the first two PhDs conducting their research work in the Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Nanooncology (dr. wet. Anna Małek – supervisor and dr. wet. Magdalena Walewska – assistant supervisor)

– creation on 1 August 2023. Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Nanooncology as an independent unit in the Department of Small Animal Diseases and Clinic of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences.  Its management, by the Rector of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Prof. Michał Zasada, was entrusted to me.

What is next?

I envision creating a fully independent Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical NanoOncology at the Institute of Veterinary Medicine of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) to develop research on animal and human cancers. The dominant trend will be to use nanotechnology to treat cancer . The laboratory will be an interdisciplinary facility bringing together veterinarians, medical doctors, biologists, biotechnologists, chemists, and physicists to improve the treatment of these diseases. We want the Laboratory, acting for the benefit of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences and the Institute of Veterinary Medicine, to be their showcase worldwide.

These visions are slowly beginning to come true, and so, on 11.04.2024, the Rector’s Plenipotentiary for Cooperation with the Economy – Mr Andrzej Szmalc, together with me as a representative of SGGW, signed the first cooperation agreement with CBSF Sp. z o.o.  (Centre for the Study of Supplements and Pharmaceuticals), which aims to support manufacturers in the safe and advanced development and production of supplemental, pharmaceutical and veterinary products.  In September 2024, the LNDiK team will organise a ‘NanoMalutka’ event at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (original name in Italian ‘NanoPiccola’) , aiming to popularise science and implement the principle of learning from an early age. The Warsaw University of Life Sciences will be the first branch of ‘NanoPiccola’ in Poland (link to the original event in Italy: https://accademiadigagliato.org/nanopiccola/).

I encourage you to read the event’s details and follow the effects of our collaboration and the results of ongoing research on the Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Nanooncology website.