Alicja Kaminska
(maiden name: Stanislawska)
I am a final year student of medicine at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, and a biochemistry graduate (MSc) at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland.
My research work focuses on oncology. I joined Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2020 and worked in Cancer Biology Department focusing on the project “Overcoming breast cancer resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors”. I am also an active member of the Department of Biotechnology in Poland working on biodegradable and effective drug delivery systems, specifically recognizing breast cancer cells. I work with the following techniques:
- quantitative PCR
- cell/ tissue culture
- immunoblotting
- immunoprecipitation
- immunofluorescence staining
- microscopy
- flow cytometry (BrdU incorporation assays and Annexin-V apoptosis assays)
- cell growth assays
- senescence assays
- molecular cloning
- lentiviral overexpression of cloned vectors
- CRISPR/CAS9 mediated knock-out
- shRNA mediated knock-down
- siRNA mediated knock-down
Besides my research work, I am a co-founder of the OpenSurgical™ Robot. We aim to democratize hardware for practical training for the next robotics surgeons and robotics AI researchers.
Along with broadening my research and entrepreneurial experience, I participate in clinical internships and voluntary work, especially those related to oncology.
Email / Resume / LinkedIn / Google Scholar / ORCID
Research / work experience
Department of Oncology and Hematology, Mayo Clinic Florida, USA | October 2023 – January 2024
Researcher at the Department of Oncology and Hematology– remote and on site
I participate in two research projects: 1. Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis among cancer patients 2. Gelatinous Bone Marrow Transformation in Cancer and Non-cancer Patients.
Department of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Florida, USA | April 2023 – May 2024
Visiting Student
I was a clinical intern participating in regular clinical work with a Medical Doctor affiliated with the Department of Hospital Internal Medicine.
Cancer Biology Department, Dana- Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA | September 2020 – January 2022
Peter Sicinki’s Laboratory- Cell Cycle Machinery in Development and Cancer
As a visiting student, I participated in a project “Overcoming Breast Cancer Resistance to CDK4/6 Inhibition” focused on both acquired and intrinsic resistance to palbociclib in estrogen receptor positive breast cancers and triple negative breast cancers.
Department of Gynecological Oncology, Gynecological and Obstetric Hospital of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences | November 2022- currently
“Artificial intelligence and mass spectrometry imaging applications in the analysis of ovarian cancer development and recurrence”
I lead the student project, which received a university grant, aimed at discovering the applications of mass spectrometry imaging and artificial intelligence in analyzing ovarian cancer development and recurrence.
Department of Biotechnology, Cancer Immunology Division, Poznan University of Medical Sciences | 2018-2022
“Analysis of drug release from spheres whose degradation depends on metalloproteinases in a 3D model of neoplastic invasion”
I was awarded a grant to the project “Analysis of drug release from spheres whose degradation depends on metalloproteinases in a 3D model of neoplastic invasion”. The project involves the use of silk spheres loaded with chemotherapeutic agents that selectively release the drug in the presence of cancer cells.
Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland | 2014-2017
“Modified DNAzymes with a peroxidase activity and their application in biomedical diagnosis”
Master thesis based on results as a part of he National Science Center’s project ‘Harmonia’ 2013/10/M/ST4/00490: ‘Modified DNAzymes with a peroxidase activity and their application in biomedical diagnosis’ in cooperation with Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology in Jena, Germany.
Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Poznan, Poland | 2014-2015
Department of Chemistry and Structural Biology of Nucleic Acids
I participated in a three months long internship at the Department of Chemistry and Structural Biology of Nucleic Acids. I have learned the basics of nucleic acids extraction, chemical modification and characterization of new compounds using MS/MS spectroscopy and NMR.
Grants
2022- 2024 – Received and directed a grant from Poznan University of Medical Sciences: “Artificial intelligence and mass spectrometry imaging applications in the analysis of ovarian cancer development and recurrence” under the supervision of dr n. med. Mikołaj Zaborowski from the Department of Gynecological Oncology in Gynecological and Obstetric Hospital of the Medical University of Poznan.
2020-2022– Received and directed a grant from Poznan University of Medical Sciences: “The analysis of drug release from spheres whose degradation depends on MPM in a 3D model of neoplastic invasion” under the supervision of Prof. dr hab. n. med Hanna Dams-Kozłowska from the Department of Medical Biotechnology at Poznan University of Medical Sciences.
Academic journals
Reto D Kurmann, Kyle W Klarich, Ewa Wysokinska, Damon Houghton, Alicja Kaminska, Patryk Patrzalek, David Hodge, Waldemar E Wysokinski, Echocardiographic findings in cancer-associated non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis. Clinical series of 111 patients from single institution, European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging, 2024;, jeae112, https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeae112
Florczak A, Grzechowiak I, Deptuch T, Kucharczyk K, Kaminska A, Dams-Kozlowska H. Silk Particles as Carriers of Therapeutic Molecules for Cancer Treatment. Materials (Basel). 2020 Nov 4;13(21):4946. doi: 10.3390/ma13214946. PMID: 33158060; PMCID: PMC7663281.
J.Kosman, A.Stanisławska, A.Głuszynska and B.Juskowiak, Dataset on characterization of hemin-azide derivative and DNA oligonucleotide-hemin conjugate, Data in Brief, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2017.05.020
J.Kosman, A.Stanisławska, A.Głuszynska, B.Juskowiak “Conjugation of hemin to G- quadruplex forming oligonucleotide using click chemistry”, Int J Biol Macromol. 2017 Aug;101:799-804
Awards & scholarships
Scientific Scholarship for the best students in Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poznan, Poland | December 2023
Distinction for scientific achievements and academic excellence
I was selected for the second time to receive the scholarship from the Marshal of Greater Poland Voivodeship, which is granted every academic year to the best students in all disciplines who study in Greater Poland Voivodeship.
“Wschodząca Gwiazda Polskiej Medycyny”, Warszawa, Poland | June 2023
Distinction for scientific achievements – The Rising Star of Polish Medicine
I got a scholarship from Puls Medycyny Journal in the prestigious competition “Supertalents in Medicine 2023”. The category for students is: The Rising Star of Polish Medicine.
https://pulsmedycyny.pl/rozstrzygnelismy-konkurs-supertalenty-w-medycynie-2023-1187708
Scientific Scholarship for the best students in Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poznan, Poland | December 2022
Distinction for scientific achievements and academic excellence
I got a scholarship from the Marshal of Greater Poland Voivodeship, which is granted every academic year to the best students in all disciplines who study in Greater Poland Voivodeship.
Cancer Biology Department, Dana- Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA | October 2020- March 2021
Peter Sicinki’s Laboratory- Cell Cycle Machinery in Development and Cancer
I got a scholarship from Ivy Poland Foundation for pursuing research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. As a visiting student, I participated in a project “Overcoming Breast Cancer Resistance to CDK4/6 Inhibition” focused on both acquired and intrinsic resistance to palbociclib in estrogen receptor positive breast cancers and triple negative breast cancers.
After completing the scholarship, I was offered a research position to continue my projects till January 2022.
Pediatric Surgery Department, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA | 2019
Pediatric Surgery Department/ Trauma and Burns Department
1-month scholarship “Pediatric Surgery Rotating Observation in Columbus for Excellent Students Scholars”, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland
“Modified DNAzymes with a peroxidase activity and their application in biomedical diagnosis”
Scholarship student in the National Science Center’s project ‘Harmonia’ 2013/10/M/ST4/00490: ‘Modified DNAzymes with a peroxidase activity and their application in biomedical diagnosis’ in cooperation with Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology in Jena, Germany.
Conferences
Case report: A. Kaminska, N. Kwiatkowska, M. Sielewicz, M. Kasprzyk “A giant rare primary mediastinal tumor with cardiac compression in a patient with a history of lymphoma” 21st Century Medicine – Medical Congress, Lublin, 2-3.06.2023 – won the third price in the surgery session during the conference.
Case report: A. Kaminska, N. Kwiatkowska, M.Zaborowski “Adult-type Ovarian Granulosa Cell Tumor in a young patient with multiple primary neoplasms” 21st Century Medicine – Medical Congress, Lublin, 2-3.06.2023.
Case report: A. Kaminska, N. Kwiatkowska, P. Nogal, J. Jackowska ” Diagnostic challenges of Villaret syndrome in an elderly man with heavy medical history”, 23rd International CongressOf Young Medical Scientists in Poznan, 25-27.05.2023.
Research: Alicja Kaminska, Anna Florczak, Kamil Kucharczyk, Hanna Dams-Kozłowska “The analysis of drug release from spheres whose degradation depends on MPM in a 3D model of neoplastic invasion”, Session of basic science, biotechnology, and biomedical engineering at International Medical Congress of Silesia SIMC 2023 – won the first place in the Basic science, biotechnology, and biomedical engineering session.
Poster: A. Kaminska, N. Kwiatkowska, M. Samborska, K. Derwich “ The first case of non-responsive to standard treatment, a rare type of sinonasal tumor in adolescent female”, International Student Scientific Conference in Gdansk, 13-15.04.2023 – won the first place as the best poster in the conference.
Research presentation: A. Kaminska, N. Kwiatkowska, J. Kaminski, M. Zaborowski “ Complete blood count parameters as prognostic markers of ovarian cancer recurrence”, International Student Scientific Conference in Gdansk, 13-15.04.2023 – won the first place in Oncology research session.
Case report: A. Kaminska. M. Kwiatkowska, M.Sielewicz, M. Kasprzyk “ Lepidic adenocarcinoma in a young male with recurrent pneumothorax”, Lublin International Students’ Surgical Congress, Lublin, 14-16.04.2023. – won second place in Cardiology and Thoracic Surgery Session.
Case report: A. Kaminska, N. Kwiatkowska, M. Sielewicz, M. Kasprzyk “ Rare Pleural Tumor Mistaken for Post-Covid 19 syndrome”, RSU International Conference, Riga, Latvia, 27-28.03.2023 – won the III place in Case reports Finals – selected from more than 100 presenters.
Case report: A. Kaminska, N.Kwiatkowska, A.Adamczyk, K.Trzpis, J.Szydłowski “Subglottic Stenosis as an early presentation of DiGeorge Syndrome”, 9th Lublin International Medical Congress, 17-19.11.2022 – won the first prize in surgical case report session.
Research presentation- A.Kaminska, N. Guźniczak, A. Florczak, H. Dams-Kozlowska „Optimization of a 3D model of neoplastic invasion for analysis of metalloproteinase-dependent degradation of silk spheres”, 22nd International Congress of Young Medical Scientists, 02-04.06.2022, Poznan, Poland. – Won the second place in the category of the best research in basic science
Case report – A.Kaminska, N.Kwiatkowska, Małgorzata Leszczynska- “Unusual presentation of early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil along with massive malignant infiltration of the larynx”, 22nd International Congress of Young Medical Scientists, 02-04.06.2022, Poznan, Poland.
Case report – A.Kaminska, N.Kwiatkowska, Magdalena Sielewicz ” Boerhaave syndrome with subsequent esophageal stenosis and esophageal fistula”, The 27th International Student Scientific Conference, 28.05.2022, Gdansk, Poland. – Won first place in the surgical case report session.
Case report- A.Kaminska, N.Kwiatkowska “A case report of an advanced TNBC showing a response to a paclitaxel treatment following AC-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy”, 30th International Medical Students’ Conference in Cracow (IMSC 2022), 01-04.06.2022, Cracow, Poland.
Research presentation- J. Kosman, A. Stanisławska, B. Juskowiak “Click synthesis of hemin-oligonucleotide DNAzyme for peroxidase activity”, Proceedings of the 42nd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranske Maltiare, Slovakia, 849-855, 2016;
Research presentation- A. Stanisławska, J. Kosman, A. Głuszyńska, B. Juskowiak “Peroxidase activity of DNAzyme with a covalently attached hemin cofactor” Biotransformations, Warsaw, 2016;
Research presentation- A. Stanisławska, J. Kosman, B. Juskowiak “DNAzyme Activity Study of Covalent Hemin-DNA Conjugates obtained by Click Reaction”, 5th International Conference on Molecular Sensors and Molecular Logic Gates, Great Britain, 2016.
Research presentation- A.Stanisławska, J. Kosman, A.Głuszyńska, B. Juskowiak “Synthesis and characteristics of monoderivative of hemin”, 9th Polish Conference of Analytical Chemistry, Poznań, 2015.
Research presentation- A.Stanisławska, J.Kosman, A.Głuszyńska, B. Juskowiak “Covalent attachment of hemin to DNA oligonucleotide using click reaction”, 1st Great Poland Symposium of Organic Chemistry, Bioorganic and Biomaterials, Poznań, 2015.
Leadership & Service
Head of the Organizing Committee| MedInnovations Conference | December, 2021
Together with my friend, we created a two-days conference on medical innovations, which gathered almost two hundred young doctors and students.
“MedInnovations is a medical conference backed by leading Polish physicians, scientists, innovators and international sponsors including Smith&Nephew, Zimmer Biomet, Synektik, among others. The conference is addressed to medical professionals and engineers interested in medical innovations including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and robotics. In 2021, the conference was hosted at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences and featured 11 plenary speakers, 30 startup presentations, 6 training workshops, and had 200 participants.” [ref, translated]
Jakub Kaminski, Alicja Kaminska
Open Surgical is a robotic system we develop to democratize robotic surgery training and spur AI surgical robotics research. We believe that this can be achieved with affordable hardware that offers carefully selected subset of features of clinically-approved surgical systems, at a fraction of their cost. Work in progress.
Organizing Committee Member| New Technologies in Medicine -a trend or a real need? | October, 2021
Together with my friend, we created a two-days conference on medical innovations, which gathered almost two hundred young doctors and students.
“During two discussion panels, participants had the opportunity to listen to experts in various fields – representatives of the academic community, founders of startups in the field of medical innovation in Poland and doctors who work with new technologies in their clinical practice. The event was a platform for the exchange of thoughts and views, and an opportunity to establish cooperation between representatives of the medical, technical and economic professions. The panel of debate experts on behalf of our University included the Vice-Rector for Research and International Cooperation, prof. dr hab. Michał Nowicki.” [ref, translated]
Board Member- University Association of Multidisciplinary Oncology, Poland | 2017-2021
I organized five oncological events – conferences, meetings and discussion panels that gathered collectively up to 800 people ( medical doctors, students, and patients).
“Coordination of conferences (program creator, responsible for contacting sponsors partners):
• Magis in Medicinae III and IV- oncological and palliative conference, 03/23/2019 and
05/19/2018, 300 participants
• 1st Academic Conference on Oncological Surgery:
The upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, 11/24/2018, 300 participants
• Symposium: Personalized and Multidisciplinary treatment of breast cancer,
05/28/2018, 50 participants
• movie screening at Rialto Cinema, Poznań – “Ma Ma”, 2015, directed by Julio Medem
with a special meeting with surgeons, oncologists and psycho-oncologists [ref, translated]
Volunteer | “Korona Z Głowy“: COVID-19 Response in Poland | 2020
I I created an initiative that gathered almost seventy sewers, who prepared up to 40 000 hand-made face masks for medical first responders at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Korona z Głowy” is a figurative phrase in the Polish language meaning “to take corona/crown off your head”, and as a metaphor it means to relieve from a burden. “Korona z Głowy” is a volunteering initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic founded by physicians and students in Poland who enabled better medical resource allocation and distribution of voluntarily-made protective equipment to essential workers. [ref, translated]
Member of the Polish Branch of the International Association of Medical Students (IFMSA)
2018 – Assistant to the IFMSA-Poznań Branch Secretary
2018 – Assistant to the IFMSA Vice President, responsible for contacts with partners
Member of Scientific Students Clubs
- Student Science Club of Clinical Oncology,
- Student Science Club of Pediatric Surgery,
- Student Science Club “MedInnovations”
- Great Poland Oncology Center’s Student Science Club of Oncology and Radiotherapy