Miroslaw Janowski, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
Center for Advanced Imaging Research
Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Program
University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center
Phone: 410-706-7904
Email: miroslaw.janowski@som.umaryland.edu
Biosketch
Dr. Janowski completed his residency in neurosurgery at the Medical University of Warsaw, Poland in 2009, and a year later he defended his PhD thesis in neuroscience at the Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, PAS, Warsaw, Poland. In 2011 he joined the Department of Radiology at Johns Hopkins University as a post-doctoral fellow and his career progressed to Associate Professor in 2016.
In 2019 he moved to the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Dr Janowski’s research interests center on adding advanced imaging to accomplish precision medicine in neurointerventions. He is using radiolabeling and magnetic labeling of therapeutic agents to deliver them to the central nervous system using real-time interventional PET and MR imaging.
Dr. Janowski is the Co-Director of the Program in Image Guided Neurointerventions (PIGN).
Research Projects
Select a project below to learn more.
Image-Guided Stem Cell Therapy of Perinatal Asphyxia in a Large Animal Model
Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia occurs in 1-3 per 1,000 full-term births, resulting in approximately 12,000 patients per year given a prognosis of developmental delay. Stem cell therapy is a very promising strategy in regenerative medicine. Our team established a porcine model of neonatal hypoxia/ischemia, with a detailed evaluation of behavioral and histopathological outcomes. In addition, immunodeficient rag2-/- animals are ideal recipients of human grafts. In this project, we evaluate whether cell labeling using iron oxide nanoparticles compromises cell migration and differentiation after transplantation in a highly translational large animal model with distances traveled by the cells relevant to the clinical setting. We further perform studies to evaluate the appropriate stem cell dose; assess if positive therapeutic effect results from indirect mechanisms, mostly based on trophic factor release; and evaluate if cell replacement is feasible in large, gyrencephalic brain, and how much it contributes to the behavioral recovery using long-term animal survival. If our study confirms therapeutic efficacy, the protocol will be ready to be applied in an early phase clinical trial, as well as provide preliminary data for cell engineering and delivery modifications for further outcome improvement.
Public Health Relevance
Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia results with life-long developmental delay, that can hinder self-reliance and educational and workplace opportunities. Immunodeficient rag2-/- piglets in concert with FDA-approved stem cells and a minimally invasive, image-guided transplantation strategy create a unique platform to introduce a regenerative medicine approach to neonatal care.
Image-Guided, Intra-Arterial Delivery of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles for Treatment of Ischemic Stroke
One of the many critical questions concerning stroke treatment is deciphering the ideal route of delivery in terms of efficacy, safety, timing of delivery, and methods by which to monitor the process. With an increasing number of intra-arterial catheter interventions for stroke performed, it would seem that intra-arterial cell injection would be ideally suited and feasible for use in the stroke setting. Preclinical data suggest that intra-arterial cell injection leads to a greater number of cells targeting the ischemia. Cell sorting or cell engineering to improve the targeted delivery needs to be further investigated. The mechanistic theories about transendothelial migration and the safety concerns have led to an additional important consideration, which is the monitoring of cell delivery.
Adapted from: Guzman R, Janowski M, Walczak M. Intra-Arterial Delivery of Cell Therapies for Stroke. Stroke, 2018;49:1075–1082.
Lab Members
Postdocs
Guanda Qiao, MD, PhD
David Gulisashvili, MD
Abdallah Salemdawod, MD
Shalini Sharma, PhD
Fereshteh Khorshidi, MD
Mahtab Darvish, MD
PhD Students
Shriya Madan - Molecular Medicine
Loryn Johnson - Neuroscience Program
High School Student
Lorenz Rosal
Grants and Proposals
PI | Grant Title | Total Project Period | Funding Source | Total Costs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Miroslaw Janowski | Image-guided, intra-arterial delivery of human mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for treatment of acute ischemic stroke | 06/30/19 - 06/29/21 | STMD-MTDC | $533,025.00 |
Total Cost: $533,025.00
Publications
Click here to view Dr. Janowski's publications on PubMed.