Research Interests:
- Cell growth and proliferation
- mRNA translation
- microRNA function
- Intracellular signaling
- Cellular metabolism
- Hematological malignancies
Positions
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Associate Professor of Oncology
- Director, Graduate Studies
- Department of Immunology
Background
Education and Training
- 2008 - PhD - Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
- 2003 - MS - Natural Sciences, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Fellowship
- 2015 - Research Scholar - Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (Mentor: Craig B. Thompson, MD)
- 2010 - Postdoctoral Fellow - University of Pennsylvania, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA (Mentor: Craig B. Thompson, MD)
Research Overview
Cell growth and proliferation are both necessary for successful immune reactions and dysregulated in many types of hematological malignancies. For cells to grow and proliferate, dramatic changes in the translation of mRNA to protein must occur.
My lab studies how cell extrinsic signals, such as growth factors or nutrient availability, regulate the process of mRNA translation to facilitate growth and proliferation of normal and malignant immune cells. By gaining insight into the highly regulated process of protein production in normal and malignant cells, we hope to uncover novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention that will preferentially target cancer cells.
Publications
Full Publications list on PubMed
- La Rocca G*, Olejniczak SH*, González AJ, Briskin D, Vidigal JA, Spraggon L, DeMatteo RG, Radler MR, Lindsten T, Ventura A, Tuschl T, Leslie CS, Thompson CB. In vivo, Argonaute-bound microRNAs exist predominantly in a reservoir of low molecular weight complexes not associated with mRNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Jan 20;112(3):767-72. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1424217112. Epub 2015 Jan 7. PMID: 25568082; PMCID: PMC4311832.
- Olejniczak SH*, La Rocca G*, Gruber JJ, Thompson CB. Long-lived microRNA-Argonaute complexes in quiescent cells can be activated to regulate mitogenic responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Jan 2;110(1):157-62. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1219958110. Epub 2012 Dec 17. PMID: 23248281; PMCID: PMC3538211.
- Gruber JJ*, Olejniczak SH*, Yong J, La Rocca G, Dreyfuss G, Thompson CB. Ars2 promotes proper replication-dependent histone mRNA 3' end formation. Mol Cell. 2012 Jan 13;45(1):87-98. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2011.12.020. PMID: 22244333; PMCID: PMC3269315.
- Olejniczak SH, Blickwedehl J, Belicha-Villanueva A, Bangia N, Riaz W, Mavis C, Clements JL, Gibbs J, Hernandez-Ilizaliturri FJ, Czuczman MS. Distinct molecular mechanisms responsible for bortezomib-induced death of therapy-resistant versus -sensitive B-NHL cells. Blood. 2010 Dec 16;116(25):5605-14. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-12-259754. Epub 2010 Oct 7. PMID: 20930068; PMCID: PMC3031407.
- Olejniczak SH, Hernandez-Ilizaliturri FJ, Clements JL, Czuczman MS. Acquired resistance to rituximab is associated with chemotherapy resistance resulting from decreased Bax and Bak expression. Clin Cancer Res. 2008 Mar 1;14(5):1550-60. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-07-1255
*Co-First Authors