Frank Pajonk, MD, PhD

Dr. Frank Pajonk's research is focused on proteasomes, cancer stem cells and radiation. His lab was the first to identify proteasomes as radiation targets and he co-pioneered the use of proteasome inhibitors like bortezomib in cancer treatment. More recently his lab was the first to describe the radiation resistance of breast cancer stem cells and the underlying mechanisms. Currently his lab explores novel ways to detect and target cancer stem cell in breast cancer, prostate cancer, and glioma.

Lagadec C, Vlashi E, Della Donna L, Dekmezian C, Pajonk F. Radiation-induced reprogramming of breast cancer cells. Stem Cells. 2012 May;30(5):833-44.

Lagadec C, Dekmezian C, Bauche L, Pajonk F. Oxygen levels do not determine radiation survival of breast cancer stem cells. PLoS One. 2012 Mar 29;7(3):e34545.

Vlashi E, Lagadec C, Vergnes L, Matsutani T, Masui K, Poulou M, Popescu R, Della Donna L, Evers P, Dekmezian C, Reue K, Christofk H, Mischel PS, Pajonk F. Metabolic state of glioma stem cells and nontumorigenic cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Sep 20;108(38):16062-7. Epub 2011 Sep 7

Lagadec C, Vlashi E, Della Donna L, Meng Y, Dekmezian C, Kim K, Pajonk F. Survival and self-renewing capacity of breast cancer initiating cells during fractionated radiation treatment. Breast Cancer Res. 2010 Feb 16;12(1):R13. Epub 2010 Feb 16

Vlashi E, Kim K, Lagadec C, Donna LD, McDonald JT, Eghbali M, Sayre JW, Stefani E, McBride W, Pajonk F. In vivo imaging, tracking, and targeting of cancer stem cells. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009 Mar 4;101(5):350-9. Epub 2009 Feb 24