Monika Rak PhD

Monika Rak PhD

Assistant Professor

Dr. Monika Rak’s research include basic and translational research in non-viral DNA/RNA delivery as well as cancer development, progression, and therapies. A majority of her work has focused on innovative lipofection systems and vaccines carriers. Additionally, she engaged in research exploring cancer cell migration, invasiveness and epigenetic therapies. Her current project topic is the role of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) in the development and progression of glioblastoma. Research approach includes in silico, in vitro and in vivo.

ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4746-944X

Selected Publications:

-Rak M, Góra-Sochacka A, MadejaZ. Lipofection-Based Delivery of DNA Vaccines. Methods Mol Biol.2021;2183:391-404. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0795-4_20. Blaine Pfeifer and AndrewHill (Eds): Vaccine Delivery Technology.

-Rak M, Ochałek A, Gawarecka K,Masnyk M, Chmielewski M, Chojnacki T, Swiezewska E, Madeja Z. Boost of serum resistance and storage stability in cationic polyprenyl-based lipofection byhelper lipids compositions. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2020; S0939-6411(20)30228-9.doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2020.07.028.

-Ramakrishnan S, Granger V, RakM, Hu Q, Attwood K, Aquila L, Krishnan N, Osiecki R, Azabdaftari G, Guru K,Chatta G, Gueron G, McNally L, Ohm J, Wang J, Woloszynska A. Inhibition of EZH2induces NK cell-mediated differentiation and death in muscle-invasive bladdercancer. Cell Death Differ. 2019 Oct;26(10):2100-2114.

-Stalinska J, Houser L, Rak M,Colley SB, Reiss K, Jursic BS. Exploring anticancer activity of structurally modified benzylphenoxyacetamide (BPA); I: Synthesis strategies and computational analyses of substituted BPA variants with high anti-glioblastoma potential. Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 19;9(1):17021.

Keywords: Gene transfer, vaccines delivery, cancer invasiveness, Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs)

LCRC Faculty

Donna Ryan MD
Population Sciences
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Nakhle Saba MD
Translational Oncology
Our Lady of the Lake / LSU Health
Hana Safah, MD
Translational Oncology
Our Lady of the Lake / LSU Health
Maria Sanchez-Pino PhD
Cancer Biology
LSU Health - New Orleans
Dr. Oliver Sartor
Translational Oncology
Tulane University School of Medicine
Suzana Savkovic PhD
Cancer Biology
Tulane University School of Medicine
Tiffany N. Seagroves PhD
Cancer Biology
Tulane University School of Medicine
Qiang Shen MD PhD
Translational Oncology
LSU Health - New Orleans
Guillaume Spielmann, PhD
Genes X Environment
LSU A&M- Baton Rouge