Research
The Joanna Przybyl Lab employs multi-omic high-throughput experimental methods and bioinformatic tools to discover new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for diagnosis and classification of sarcomas. The goal of the lab’s research is to develop clinically useful liquid biopsy assays and investigate new therapeutic approaches to improve care for sarcoma patients. The combination of computational and molecular biology approaches and a clinical focus distinguish her interdisciplinary laboratory in the field of translational sarcoma research.
Biography
Dr. Joanna Przybyl received a joint Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Sciences from KU Leuven (Belgium) and the National Institute of Oncology (Warsaw, Poland). She completed her postdoctoral training in Computational Biology in the laboratory of Dr. Matt van de Rijn in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University. Her postdoctoral studies established the clinical potential of ctDNA monitoring in patients diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma, leiomyoma and liposarcoma. During her postdoctoral studies, Dr. Przybyl also discovered the activation and prognostic role of the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway in sarcoma.
Education & Professional Highlights
Education & Professional Highlights
Assistant Professor
McGill University
Montreal, QC, Canada
2021 - 2026
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Computational Biology
Stanford University
Stanford, CA, USA
2014 - 2018
PhD
Biomedical Sciences
KU Leuven, Belgium
National Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
2013
MSc
Biotechnology
Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
2009
Professional Highlights
- Research Committee, Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS)
Memberships
- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
- Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS)
- International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB)
- International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV)
Research
Liquid biopsy
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has potential to revolutionize diagnosis and monitoring of tumors through diverse clinical applications, including non-invasive genotyping, assessment of treatment response and monitoring of recurrent/residual disease. Non-invasive analysis of cancer-derived DNA is particularly favorable for patients with solid tumors, which cannot be repeatedly sampled without invasive procedures. In the Przybyl lab, we develop new experimental approaches for longitudinal monitoring of ctDNA and other circulating biomarkers for an improved evaluation of response to adjuvant treatment and patient surveillance. Our goal is also to develop new tests that will allow for a non-invasive distinction between benign and malignant soft tissue tumors based on circulating biomarkers.
Multi-omic profiling of sarcoma
The goal of our research is to resolve diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the treatment of patients with sarcoma. As part of this effort, we employ a variety of genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic and proteomic (multi-omic) approaches to identify molecular markers that can predict response to treatment and patient survival. Through these multi-omic studies we also aim to discover new therapeutic targets and immune cell infiltration in sarcoma to contribute to improved treatment strategies.
Metabolic reprogramming
Our transcriptomic studies demonstrated that different types of sarcoma show activation of genes involved in specific carbohydrate metabolism pathways. In particular, we are interested in understanding the role of the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway in sarcoma. The goal of our research is to explain the mechanisms of activation of this metabolic pathway in sarcoma, and to explore therapeutic targeting of this pathway to improve future treatment strategies.
Our Team
Selected Publications
View publications for Joanna Przybyl, PhD
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