Biography

Dr. Monika Rak is assistant professor of research – department of interdisciplinary oncology with LSU Health New Orleans. 

Dr. Monika Rak’s research includes basic and translational research in non-viral DNA/RNA delivery as well as cancer development, progression, and therapies. 

Much of her work has focused on innovative lipofection systems and vaccines carriers. Additionally, she engaged in research exploring cancer cell migration, invasiveness, and epigenetic therapies. Her current project topic is the role of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) in the development and progression of glioblastoma. Research approach includes in silico, in vitro and in vivo.

Dr. Rak has completed three international internships on the effect of demethylating agents in bladder cancer treatment that contributed to the development of a novel clinical trial in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY). She also worked on innovative glioblastoma therapies and studies on HERVs in glioblastoma at the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center, as well as targeted gene and drug delivery systems in Nagasaki University, Japan.