Alicja Joanna Urbaniak, MSc, PhD

Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics Faculty Rank: Instructor Campus: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College: College of Medicine Department: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Cancer Research Interest

• Disease Site Focus: Breast, Brain, Cutaneous/Melanoma, Leukemia/ Lymphoma
• Research Focus Area: Treatment
• Type of Research: Basic, Translational
• Research Keywords: organoids, 3D models, drug discovery, experimental chemotherapeutics, drug candidates, cancer stem cell, cell viability screen, natural products derivatives, breast cancer, EMT
• Research Interest Statement: My research interests lie at the interphase of chemistry and cancer biology. I intend to tackle the most pressing issues in cancer biology – how to target and therapeutically intervene to disrupt cancer stem cell functionality (self-renewal, drug resistance, tumor recurrence after therapy and metastatic spread to distant organs). In particular, my research has focused on the identification of novel small molecules which target acute lymphoblastic leukemia, breast, and glioblastoma cancer cells, and investigation of mechanisms leading to cell death. To date, I have identified numerous novel small molecules, including, but not limited to, analogs of microtubule destabilizing agent – colchicine, analogs of polyether ionophores – salinomycin and monensin and analogs of polyphenol – resveratrol with improved anti-cancer activity as compared to their parent scaffold or chemotherapeutics currently used in clinics. Additionally, I have been focused on the development and optimization of more clinically relevant cancer models. My experience includes isolation and culturing of primary human cancer cells and tissues for the purpose of drug discovery. I have also developed 3D tumor organoid models to better mimic tumor architecture and optimized cell viability assay for application in 3D format to facilitate rapid screening of drug candidates for efficacy in anti-cancer and anti-cancer stem cell function. Most recently I have adapted my work to include normal cerebral organoid model developed from human iPSCs infiltrated with cancer cells. This exciting model allows me to mimic cancer metastasis to brain and investigate the activity of the compounds which could inhibit this process.

Contact Information

• Email Address: AURBANIAK@UAMS.EDU
• Profiles Research Networking Software: View Profile

Publications

• Lowenthal R, Taylor M, Gidden JA, [et al., including Urbaniak A]. The mycelium of the Trametes versicolor synn. Coriolus versicolor (Turkey tail mushroom) exhibit anti-melanoma activity in vitro. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2023 161:114424. PMID: 36827712. PMCID: PMC10147383.
• Urbaniak A, Reed MR, Heflin B, [et al.]. Anti-glioblastoma activity of monensin and its analogs in an organoid model of cancer. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2022 153:113440. PMID: 36076555. PMCID: PMC9472755.
• Delgado M, Rainwater RR, Heflin B, [et al., including Urbaniak A]. Primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells are susceptible to microtubule depolymerization in G1 and M phases through distinct cell death pathways. The Journal of biological chemistry. 2022 298(6):101939. PMID: 35436470. PMCID: PMC9123221.
• Delgado M, Washam CL, Urbaniak A, [et al.]. Phosphoproteomics Provides Novel Insights into the Response of Primary Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells to Microtubule Depolymerization in G1 Phase of the Cell Cycle. ACS omega. 2021 6(38):24949-24959. PMID: 34604676. PMCID: PMC8482483.
• Shoeib AM, Yarbrough AL, Ford BM, [et al., including Urbaniak A]. Characterization of cannabinoid receptors expressed in Ewing sarcoma TC-71 and A-673 cells as potential targets for anti-cancer drug development. Life sciences. 2021 285:119993. PMID: 34592231.
• Urbaniak A, Reed MR, Fil D, [et al.]. Single and double modified salinomycin analogs target stem-like cells in 2D and 3D breast cancer models. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2021 141:111815. PMID: 34130123. PMCID: PMC8429223.
• Klejborowska G, Urbaniak A, Maj E, [et al.]. Synthesis, anticancer activity and molecular docking studies of N-deacetylthiocolchicine and 4-iodo-N-deacetylthiocolchicine derivatives. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry. 2021 32:116014. PMID: 33465696.
• Urbaniak A, Piña-Oviedo S, Yuan Y, [et al.]. Limitations of an ex vivo breast cancer model for studying the mechanism of action of the anticancer drug paclitaxel. European journal of pharmacology. 2020 891:173780. PMID: 33271152.
• Urbaniak A, Jousheghany F, Piña-Oviedo S, [et al.]. Carbamate derivatives of colchicine show potent activity towards primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia and primary breast cancer cells-in vitro and ex vivo study. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology. 2020 34(6):e22487. PMID: 32141170.
• Klejborowska G, Urbaniak A, Maj E, [et al.]. Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking studies of new amides of 4-chlorothiocolchicine as anticancer agents. Bioorganic chemistry. 2020 97:103664. PMID: 32106039.
• Czerwonka D, Urbaniak A, Sobczak S, [et al.]. Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Tertiary Amides of Salinomycin and Their C20-oxo Analogues. ChemMedChem. 2020 15(2):236-246. PMID: 31702860.
• Klejborowska G, Urbaniak A, Preto J, [et al.]. Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking studies of new amides of 4-bromothiocolchicine as anticancer agents. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry. 2019 27(23):115144. PMID: 31653441.
• Urbaniak A, Jousheghany F, Yuan Y, [et al.]. The response of phyllodes tumor of the breast to anticancer therapy: An in vitro and ex vivo study. Oncology letters. 2019 18(5):5097-5106. PMID: 31612021. PMCID: PMC6781661.
• Urbaniak A, Skarpa?ska-Stejnborn A. Effect of pomegranate fruit supplementation on performance and various markers in athletes and active subjects: a systematic review. International journal for vitamin and nutrition research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Vitamin- und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal international de vitaminologie et de nutrition. 2019:1-15. PMID: 31512981.
• Delgado M, Urbaniak A, Chambers TC. Contrasting effects of microtubule destabilizers versus stabilizers on induction of death in G1 phase of the cell cycle. Biochemical pharmacology. 2019 162:213-223. PMID: 30578765.
• Majcher U, Urbaniak A, Maj E, [et al.]. Synthesis, antiproliferative activity and molecular docking of thiocolchicine urethanes. Bioorganic chemistry. 2018 81:553-566. PMID: 30248507.
• Antoszczak M, Urbaniak A, Delgado M, [et al.]. Biological activity of doubly modified salinomycin analogs - Evaluation in vitro and ex vivo. European journal of medicinal chemistry. 2018 156:510-523. PMID: 30025346.
• Urbaniak A, Basta P, Ast K, [et al.]. The impact of supplementation with pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) juice on selected antioxidant parameters and markers of iron metabolism in rowers. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2018 15(1):35. PMID: 30041701. PMCID: PMC6057087.
• Urbaniak A, Delgado M, Antoszczak M, [et al.]. Salinomycin derivatives exhibit activity against primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells in vitro. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2018 99:384-390. PMID: 29367107.
• Urbaniak A, Delgado M, Kacprzak K, Chambers TC. Activity of resveratrol triesters against primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters. 2017 27(12):2766-2770. PMID: 28499732.