Prince Henry’s Institute

 

Adam Rainczuk

Profile

Dr Rainczuk completed his PhD in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Monash University, Australia.

On the completion of his PhD he undertook a postdoctoral position at McGill University in Canada, where he was trained in the use of mass spectrometry and other proteomic techniques. Dr Rainczuk returned to Australia and joined PHI in early 2007.

He is involved in proteomic analysis of endometrial tissue to identify biomarkers for a potential diagnostic test, to help improve success outcomes after IVF treatment. He also continues to apply his proteomic training in research aimed at the development of new diagnostic tests for the early detection of ovarian cancer.  

In 2008 Dr Rainczuk was made a Witchery Research Fellow as a result of funding from the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.

 

Research Interests

Dr Rainczuk current work is involved in proteomic analysis of receptive and non-receptive endometrium in an effort to identify discriminative biomarkers. This research is relevant to answering questions relating to embryo implantation after IVF treatment.

The discovery of biomarkers of early implantation may also lead to the development of new diagnostic tests to predict a receptive endometrium prior to IVF treatment. The identification of these markers would provide an important clinical decision-making tool to improve success outcomes in IVF.

Ovarian cancer can be successfully treated if detected in the early stages of disease, with 90% of patients surviving five years after the initial diagnosis. The current focus for Dr Rainczuk is the discovery of biomarkers suitable for an early stage ovarian cancer diagnostic test. Biomarkers are currently being screened for using patient plasma, urine, and tissue samples. A variety of techniques including 2D-DIGE, mass spectrometry, and advanced protein fractionation strategies are being used to achieve this aim.

 

Expertise

reproductive endocrinology, protein purification, molecular biology, biomolecular separation, proteomics, endometriosis, ovarian cancer, SELDI, DIGE

 

Current Research

• Circulating markers of ovarian cancer

• Auto-immune response in cancer patients

• Nanoparticle technology for the identification of novel cancer markers

• Fallopian tube as the origin of epithelial ovarian cancers

 

Selected Publications

Scorza, T., K. Grubb, P. Smooker, A. Rainczuk, D. Proll, and T. W. Spithill. 2005. Induction of strain-transcending immunity against Plasmodium chabaudi adami malaria with a multiepitope DNA vaccine. Infect Immun 73:2974-85.

Smooker, P. M., A. Rainczuk, N. Kennedy, and T. W. Spithill. 2004. DNA vaccines and their application against parasites - promise, limitations and potential solutions. Biotechnol Annu Rev 10:189-236.

Rainczuk, A., T. Scorza, T. W. Spithill, and P. M. Smooker. 2004. A bicistronic DNA vaccine containing apical membrane antigen 1 and merozoite surface protein 4/5 can prime humoral and cellular immune responses and partially protect mice against virulent Plasmodium chabaudi adami DS malaria. Infect Immun 72:5565-73.

Rainczuk, A., P. M. Smooker, L. Kedzierski, C. G. Black, R. L. Coppel, and T. W. Spithill. 2003. The protective efficacy of MSP4/5 against lethal Plasmodium chabaudi adami challenge is dependent on the type of DNA vaccine vector and vaccination protocol. Vaccine 21:3030-42.

Rainczuk, A., T. Scorza, P. M. Smooker, and T. W. Spithill. 2003. Induction of specific T-cell responses, opsonizing antibodies, and protection against Plasmodium chabaudi adami infection in mice vaccinated with genomic expression libraries expressed in targeted and secretory DNA vectors. Infect Immun 71:4506-15.

Smooker, P. M., Y. Y. Setiady, A. Rainczuk, and T. W. Spithill. 2000. Expression library immunization protects mice against a challenge with virulent rodent malaria. Vaccine 18:2533-40.