Gollnick Lab Members

Sandra Gollnick, PhD – PI
I earned my BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara and my doctorate from Iowa State University in Biochemistry. My doctorate work was focused on the role of non-classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in pregnancy. I went on to do post-doctoral work at DNAX Research Institute in Palo Alto, CA where I learned to become a molecular immunologist.

After a stint in industry with ImmunLogic Corporation, where I worked on the role of MHC molecules in autoimmunity, I moved to RPCI. I have been a member of the PDT Center and the Cell Stress Biology Department for the past 10 years. My research is focused on developing cancer therapies that induce acute inflammation and overcome suppression of the host immune system by cancer to generate an anti-tumor immune response that is capable of controlling primary malignancies and combating distant metastases. As part of this work we are striving to understand how acute inflammation and innate immune cells control anti-tumor immune responses. I am also the Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Immunology.

Pat Maier - Technician
Roswell Park has been my home for almost 5 decades. After graduating from Alfred University, with a major in Chemistry, I joined Dr. David Pressman’s lab in the Department of Immunology. It was in his lab that I was first introduced to antibodies. Knowledge was very simplistic in those days. It is truly amazing where science has taken all of us.

I have worked with Dr. Sandra Gollnick for the past 15 years. She taught me all I know about Molecular Biology. We have a wonderful group and one of my greatest pleasures has been working with the students. I am officially retired but just can’t stay away, so I work part time. Therefore, I consider myself the "aged antique" of the lab.

Barb Owczarczak - Technician
I have been an employee of Roswell Park for the last 29 years. I have worked for the past 19 years for Dr. Barbara Henderson in the PDT Center, and I have been working with Dr. Sandra Gollnick for the last 13 years. To say my time here at Roswell has been fascinating is an understatement. I have learned so much, and shared that knowledge with my colleagues time and time again. It is a dynamic place to work, not only in the physical changes around the campus, but in the projects we work on.

In our labs we truly go from bench top to bedside. Our group is a good combination of personalities, which makes coming to work a pleasure. We enjoy our constant interactions, and use each other for assistance, or just for feedback on anything from calculations to better ways of doing techniques in the lab. As for me, I would not stay somewhere where I was unhappy or bored. I enjoy my work and the people I deal with every day.

Kim Ramsey - Technician
I have always lived and worked in the Buffalo area but have only been at Roswell Park for the last 9 years. 5 years ago I joined Dr. Gollnick's laboratory and became part of the Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) group.

Prior to joining the lab I knew nothing about PDT and it's applications, so this has made the last 5 years a great learning experience. I have had the pleasure of working with many interesting, colorful, and talented students as well as patient and dedicated staff. So even though I am a dedicated Yankee fan I hope to remain a member of Dr. Gollnick's lab for many more years.

Craig Brackett - Graduate Student
I completed my undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Biology from Saint John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. I was accepted into the Science Scholar program, which made me realize that I enjoyed scientific research. One of the requirements as a Science Scholar was to do one semester of bench-top research under the mentorship of a faculty member. I enjoyed the research so much that I decided to continue with it throughout the rest of my undergraduate career. It was this experience as a Science Scholar that convinced me to pursue a career as a Scientist.

I applied to the Roswell Park Division of the UB Graduate School because I knew that I wanted to contribute to cancer research as the disease hits close to home with my Grandpa having been diagnosed and treated at Roswell Park. Taking Immunology as an Undergraduate convinced me to do my dissertation research in a laboratory that focuses on tumor immunology. With that, I decided to join the laboratory of Dr. Sandra Gollnick since the lab studies the role of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) induced acute inflammation and the subsequent generation of anti-tumor immunity.

My thesis project focuses on elucidating the mechanism(s) by which IL-17 controls the Gr-1hi neutrophilic response post PDT and the mechanism by which Gr-1hi leukocytes control the generation of CD8+ T cell anti-tumor immunity.

Jonah Riddell
Life is what you make it: I believe the environment by which you surround yourself is critical to career development and the stimulation of ideas and learning. I am still amazed everyday at both the professionalism and congeniality of all the people in the Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Center and specifically the Gollnick lab.

I obtained my bachelors in Chemistry and Physics from St. Bonaventure University before joining the PhD program at RPCI in May 2006. Since June 2008 I have worked in the Gollnick on the immunological and vascular regulation of prostate cancer through Peroxiredoxin 1.

My thesis has given me the opportunity to pursue my dream of creating a drug target that can truly go from bench side to bedside. Numerous family and friends have succumb to cancer and it fulfills my lifelong ambition to be part of a program that strives everyday to both enhance established treatments and discover new/superior targets for the clinical treatment of cancer.

Patricia (Minan) Wang
I graduated from East China Normal University in Shanghai with a BS degree in biotechnology. I am a graduate student at UB. Since I am interested in immunology and cancer research, I joined Dr. Gollnick's lab in April, 2009.

My project mainly focuses on elucidating the role of PDT vaccine; what “danger signals” are involved in the PDT vaccine treatment. I am working on identifying the “danger signal” released by dying tumor cells that leads to the activation of dendritic cells which activate cytotoxic T cells and induce the immune response eventually.

Gollnick Lab Alumni

Edith Kabingu
I joined the Gollnick lab in 2002. My research project involved investigating the immune effects of local PDT on tumors established at a site away from the treatment field. I defended my thesis on December 23, 2006 and took a postdoc position at Virion Systems, Inc. in Rockville Maryland starting January 2, 2007.

My research project at Virion involves investigating mucosal immunity to HSV-2 infection in the cotton rat model. I am also studying mechanisms of HSV-2 virus entry into tissues and whether silencing critical genes involved in virus entry can diminish or block infection.

Phil Kousis
I graduated from King's College, London with a BSc in Immunology and joined Roswell Park. Since my main interest was tumor immunology I joined Dr. Gollnick, who at the time was trying to determine how different PDT doses might affect the ensuing tumor specific immune responses.

Using a murine tumor model we described PDT treatment parameters that resulted in robust immune responses capable of eliminating tumors. Our results also pointed out to an important role played by neutrophils infiltrating treated tumors towards the generation of an adaptive immune response.

The findings of the thesis project were included in a report accepted for publication by Cancer Research and will assist the design of treatment conditions in clinical settings. For my postdoctoral training I will be joining the laboratory of Dr Cynthia Guidos at the University of Toronto and study the role of Notch-Fringe proteins in T cell development.

Alan Belicha-Villanueva - Graduate StudentI was born in Madrid, Spain and came to the United States in 2000 as an undergraduate at the State University of New York at Buffalo. I began playing soccer before I learned to walk…seriously. I ended up playing very often and eventually played in a semi-pro (Division 3C) soccer team. When I came to the States I was invited to join the UB soccer team. Although I didn't mesh with the coach, I still manage to play soccer, come rain or shine. I have been playing soccer since I landed here and we have an outstanding team (shoot me an email if you dare challenge us!).

Scientifically speaking, I enjoy team work and an interdisciplinary approach. Currently my interests are in the regulation of classical and non-classical class I molecules during PDT and I hope to soon be moving on to other things. I have known that I wanted to contribute to cancer research since I was 14, when a few friends and family members passed away from cancer. I am feeling drawn toward a laboratory that looks at mechanisms that can have broad implication for this disease—as opposed to specific types of cancer—such as angiogenesis, cancer stem cells, metastasis and recognition of HLA-I negative tumors.