Dr. Michael Pawlak

Areas of activity

  • Development and application of protein microarrays and miniaturized multiplex immunoassays for proteome research
  • Research, development and service projects with partners in the pharmaceutical industry and clinical research
  • Reverse-phase protein arrays (RPA) for the analysis of protein signal transduction in treated cell systems and tissues (tumors)
  • Investigations into the  elucidation of disease mechanisms
  • Mechanisms of action of drug candidates
  • Search for early diagnostic, pharmacodynamic and predictive biomarkers for use in individual medicine

Stages of career

since 04/2005 Group leader Protein Profiling at the NMI

1999 - 2005 Co-founder of Zeptosens in Witterswil, Switzerland (SpinOff Novartis, now Bayer Technology Services) and Director Protein Microarrays; responsible for the development and commercialization of microarray solutions for proteomics; (co-)inventor of numerous patents

1994 - 1999 Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
Laboratory Manager In Vitro Metabolism, ADME, Preclinical Drug Development
Head of Bioanalytical Research Laboratory (formerly Ciba-Geigy AG), significantly involved in the development of optical planar waveguide technology, basic patents.

1991 - 1994 Postdoctoral student at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of Polymers and Membranes, Working Group for Biomembranes (Prof. Horst Vogel), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland; development of electrical and optical biosensors, membrane receptor assays.

1988 - 1991 Doctoral thesis at the Biocenter of the University of Basel, Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; electrical single channel measurements, peptide-based pore forming toxins

1982 - 1988 University of Würzburg; studies of physics, subsidiary subject Biotechnology 

 
Dr. Michael Pawlak

Projects

Publications

  • A Platform of Patient-Derived Microtumors Identifies Individual Treatment Responses and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in Ovarian Cancer
    Anderle, N., Koch, A., Gierke, B., Keller, A. L., Staebler, A., Hartkopf, A., Brucker, S. Y., Pawlak, M., Schenke-Layland, K., & Schmees, C.
    Cancers, 14(12), 2895. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14122895
  • Advancement of precision oncology by integration of highly sensitive protein profiling technologies and patient-derived cell models for functional efficacy testing
    Pawlak, M., Templin, M., & Schmees, C.
    Immuno-Oncology Insights, 2(4), 171–185. https://doi.org/10.18609/ioi.2021.013
  • HepaChip-MP – a twenty-four chamber microplate for a continuously perfused liver coculture model
    Busche M, Tomilova O, Schütte J, Werner S, Beer M, Groll N, Hagmeyer B, Pawlak M, Jones P D, Schmees C, Becker H, Schnabel J, Gall K, Hemmler R, Matz-Soja M, Damm G, Beuck S, Klaassen T, Moer J, Ullrich A, Runge D, Schenke-Layland K, Gebhardt R und Stelzle M
    Lab on a Chip, DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00357c
  • PGRMC1 effects on metabolism, genomic mutation and CpG methylation imply crucial roles in animal biology and disease
    Thejer, B. M., Adhikary, P. P., Teakel, S. L., Fang, J., Weston, P. A., Gurusinghe, S., Anwer, A. G., Gosnell, M., Jazayeri, J. A., Ludescher, M., Gray, L. A., Pawlak, M., Wallace, R. H., Pant, S. D., Wong, M., Fischer, T., New, E. J., Fehm, T. N., Neubauer, H., Goldys, E. M., … Cahill, M. A.
    BMC molecular and cell biology, 21(1), 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12860-020-00268-z
  • PGRMC1 phosphorylation affects cell shape, motility, glycolysis, mitochondrial form and function, and tumor growth
    Thejer, B. M., Adhikary, P. P., Kaur, A., Teakel, S. L., Van Oosterum, A., Seth, I., Pajic, M., Hannan, K. M., Pavy, M., Poh, P., Jazayeri, J. A., Zaw, T., Pascovici, D., Ludescher, M., Pawlak, M., Cassano, J. C., Turnbull, L., Jazayeri, M., James, A. C., Coorey, C. P., … Cahill, M. A.
    BMC molecular and cell biology, 21(1), 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12860-020-00256-3
  • High Precision RPPA: Concept, Features, and Application Performance of the Integrated Zeptosens Platform
    Kresbach, G. M., & Pawlak, M.
    Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1188, 31–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9755-5_3
  • PGRMC1 Predicts Poor Prognosis and Promotes Tumour Progression of Breast Cancer through Upregulation of ERα Expression
    Willibald M, Stahlhut V, Stamm N, Gierke B, Pawlak M, Fehm T, Neubauer H
    Senologie. 2018; 15(02):e52. DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1651821
  • Functional protein and pathway profiling of patient-derived tumor models for drug testing and precision medicine applications using Reverse Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA)
    Gierke B, Bodenhofer M, Schmees C, Pawlak M
    European Journal of Cancer. 2018 November 13-16; 103S1 (e21–e1489):e109
  • Progesterone receptor membrane component 1 is phosphorylated upon progestin treatment in breast cancer cell
    Willibald M, Bayer G, Stahlhut V, Poschmann G, Stuhler K, Gierke B, Pawlak M, Seeger H, Mueck AO, Niederacher D, Fehm T, Neubauer H
    Oncotarget. 2017 Aug 2;8(42):72480-72493. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.19819. eCollection 2017 Sep 22.
  • Impact of serum and dialysates obtained from chronic hemodialysis patients maintained on high cut-off membranes on inflammation profile in human THP-1 monocytes
    Trojanowicz B, Ulrich C, Fiedler R, Storr M, Boehler T, Martus P, Pawlak M, Glomb MA, Henning C, Templin M, Werner K, Zickler D, Willy K, Schindler R, Girndt M
    Hemodial Int. 2017 Jul;21(3):348-358. doi: 10.1111/hdi.12494. Epub 2016 Sep 26.
  • Reverse Phase Protein Arrays elucidate mechanisms-of-action and phenotypic response in 2D and 3D models
    Pawlak M, Carragher NO (2017)
    Drug Discov Today Technol. 2017 Mar;23:7-16. doi: 10.1016/j.ddtec.2017.05.002. Epub 2017 May 30.
  • Medium Cut-Off (MCO) Membranes Reduce Inflammation in Chronic Dialysis Patients-A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
    Zickler D, Schindler R, Willy K, Martus P, Pawlak M, Storr M, Hulko M, Boehler T, Glomb MA, Liehr K, Henning C, Templin M, Trojanowicz B, Ulrich C, Werner K, Fiedler R, Girndt M
    PLoS One. 2017 Jan 13;12(1):e0169024. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169024. eCollection 2017.
  • High cut-off dialysis in chronic haemodialysis patients
    Girndt M, Fiedler R, Martus P, Pawlak M, Storr M, Bohler T, Glomb MA, Liehr K, Henning C, Templin M, Trojanowicz B, Ulrich C, Werner K, Zickler D, Schindler R
    Eur J Clin Invest. 2015 Dec;45(12):1333-40. doi: 10.1111/eci.12559.
  • Evaluation of efficacy of a new MEK inhibitor, RO4987655, in human tumor xenografts by [(18)F] FDG-PET imaging combined with proteomic approaches
    Tegnebratt T, Ruge E, Bader S, Ishii N, Aida S, Yoshimura Y, Ooi CH, Lu L, Mitsios N, Meresse V, Mulder J, Pawlak M, Venturi, M, Tessier J, Stone-Elander S
    EJNMMI Res. 2014 Dec;4(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s13550-014-0034-6. Epub 2014 Sep 9.
  • RPPApipe: a pipeline for the analysis of reverse-phase protein array data
    Eichner J, Heubach Y, Ruff M, Kohlhof H, Strobl S, Mayer B, Pawlak M, Templin MF
    Biosystems. 2014 Aug;122:19-24. doi: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2014.06.009. Epub 2014 Jun 18.
  • Realizing the promise of reverse phase protein arrays for clinical, translational, and basic research: a workshop report: the RPPA (Reverse Phase Protein Array) society
    Akbani R, Becker KF, Carragher N, Goldstein T, de Koning L, Korf U, Liotta L, Mills GB, Nishizuka SS, Pawlak M, Petricoin EF 3rd, Pollard HB, Serrels B, Zhu J
    Mol Cell Proteomics. 2014 Jul;13(7):1625-43. doi: 10.1074/mcp.O113.034918. Epub 2014 Apr 28.
  • Evaluation of Protein Profiles From Treated Xenograft Tumor Models Identifies an Antibody Panel for Formalin-fixed and Paraffin-embedded (FFPE) Tissue Analysis by Reverse Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA)
    Bader S, Zajac M, Friess T, Ruge E, Rieder N, Gierke B, Heubach Y, Thomas M, Pawlak M
    Mol Cell Proteomics. 2015 Oct;14(10):2775-85. doi: 10.1074/mcp.O114.045542. Epub 2015 Jun 23.
  • PLAC8 Localizes to the Inner Plasma Membrane of Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Regulates Cell Growth and Disease Progression through Critical Cell-Cycle Regulatory Pathways
    Kaistha BP, Lorenz H, Schmidt H, Sipos B, Pawlak M, Gierke B, Kreider R, Lankat-Buttgereit B, Sauer M, Fiedler L, Krattenmacher A, Geisel B, Kraus JM, Frese KK, Kelkenberg S, Giese NA, Kestler HA, Gress TM, Buchholz M
    Cancer Res. 2016 Jan 1;76(1):96-107. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-0216. Epub 2015 Dec 15.
  • EpCAM-Independent Enrichment of Circulating Tumor Cells in Metastatic Breast Cancer
    Schneck, H., Gierke, B., Uppenkamp, F., Behrens, B., Niederacher, D., Stoecklein, N. H., Templin, M. F., Pawlak, M., Fehm, T., Neubauer, H.
    Proteomics, 9(13), 3535–3548. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmic.200800159
  • Evaluation of protein profiles from treated xenograft tumor models identifies an antibody panel for FFPE tissue analysis by reverse phase protein arrays
    Bader S, Zajac M, Friess T, Ruge E, Rieder N, Gierke B, Heubach Y, Thomas M, Pawlak M
    Mol Cell Proteomics. 2015 Oct;14(10):2775-85. doi: 10.1074/mcp.O114.045542. Epub 2015 Jun 23.
  • Evaluation of efficacy of a new MEK inhibitor, RO4987655, in human tumor xenografts by [18F] FDG-PET imaging combined with proteomic approaches
    Tegnebratt T, Ruge E, Bader S, Ishii N, Aida S, Yoshimura Y, Ooi C-H, Lu L, Mitsios N, Meresse V, Mulder J, Pawlak M, Venturi M, Tessier J, Stone-Elander S
    EJNMMI Res. 2014 Dec;4(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s13550-014-0034-6. Epub 2014 Sep 9.
  • Realizing the Promise of Reverse Phase Protein Arrays for Clinical, Translational, and Basic Research: A Workshop Report: The RPPA (Reverse Phase Protein Array) Society
    Akbani R, Becker KF, Carragher N, Goldstein T, de Koning L, Korf U, Liotta L, Mills GB, Nishizuka SS, Pawlak M, Petricoin EF, Pollard HB, Serrels B, Zhu J
    Mol Cell Proteomics. 2014 Jul;13(7):1625-43. doi: 10.1074/mcp.O113.034918. Epub 2014 Apr 28.
  • Multiple Protein Analysis of Formalin-fixed and Paraffin-embedded Tissue Samples with Reverse phase Protein Arrays
    Assadi M, Lamerz J, Jarutat T, Farfsing A, Paul H, Gierke B, Breitinger E, Templin MF, Essioux L, Arbogast S, Venturi M, Pawlak M, Langen H, Schindler T
    Mol Cell Proteomics. 2013 Sep;12(9):2615-22. doi: 10.1074/mcp.M112.023051. Epub 2013 May 7.
  • Multiple protein analysis of FFPE tissue samples with reverse-phase protein arrays
    Assadi M, Lamerz J, Jarutat T, Farfsing A, Paul H, Gierke B, Breitinger E, Templin MF, Essioux L, Arbogast S, Venturi M, Pawlak M, Langen H, Schindler T
    Mol Cell Proteomics. 2013 Sep;12(9):2615-22. doi: 10.1074/mcp.M112.023051. Epub 2013 May 7.
  • Novel functional profiling approach combining reverse phase protein microarrays and human 3-D ex vivo tissue cultures: expression of apoptosis-related proteins in human colon cancer.
    Pirnia F, Pawlak M, Thallinger GG, Gierke B, Templin MF, Kappeler A, Betticher DC, Gloor B, Borner MM
    Proteomics. 2009 Jul;9(13):3535-48. doi: 10.1002/pmic.200800159.
  • Expression of serine/threonine protein-kinases and related factors in normal monkey and human retinas: the mechanistic understanding of a CDK2 inhibitor induced retinal toxicity
    Saturno G, Pesenti M, Cavazzoli C, Rossi A, Giusti A, Gierke B, Pawlak M, Venturi M
    Toxicol Pathol. 2007 Dec;35(7):972-83. DOI: 10.1080/01926230701748271
  • Protein chip based miniaturized assay for the simultaneous quantitative monitoring of cancer biomarkers in tissue extracts
    Weissenstein U, Schneider MJ, Pawlak M, Cicenas J, Eppenberger-Castori S, Oroszlan P, Ehret S, Geurts-Moespot A, Sweep FC, Eppenberger U
    Proteomics. 2006; 6 (5): 1427-1436. DOI: 10.1002/pmic.200500078
  • Protein Microarrays - Neue Systeme für die Proteomforschung
    Joos TO, Pawlak M, Templin M, Stoll D
    GIT Labor-Fachzeitschrift. 2006; 10, page 890-892.
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