Krzysztof Mrozik

Dr Krzysztof Mrozik

Externally Funded Research Fellow (A)

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Dr Krzysztof Mrozik is a Beat Cancer Project Early Career Cancer Research Fellow with a goal to palpably improve the lives of people with multiple myeloma and other bone-tropic cancers. Dr Mrozik has an exceptional publication record relative to career stage, with 30 peer-review publications (9 as first author and 1 as senior author (2023); 70% in Q1 journals [Scimago]; ~2000 citations (219 in 2022), h-index = 22 [Google Scholar], Field-Weighted Citation Impact [FWCI] = 2.0 [Scopus]), including 12 in the myeloma field. To date, Dr Mrozik has been awarded over $600,000 in competitive funding. He collaborates with multiple researchers across all major South Australian universities, as well as with national and international researchers. Dr Mrozik co-supervises three PhD students and one research assistant, demonstrating his leadership qualities and ability to train future independent researchers.

Drug therapy-related side effects and disease relapse represent major challenges in the management of people with myeloma. These issues compromise the physical and emotional well-being of individuals with myeloma, by reducing their quality of life and overall survival. Improving drug access to sites of myeloma tumour represents a promising strategy to improve depth of tumour response to therapy and to reduce off-target side effects.

Dr Mrozik is establishing a translational research program developing innovative strategies to selectively increase drug delivery to sites of cancer in bone and improve treatment outcomes in people with myeloma. This includes the development of state-of-the-art (1) tumour vasculature-targeting agents (in conjunction with the artificial intelligence company Atomwise Inc.) and (2) nanomedicine-based formulations of standard-of-care front-line myeloma drugs. He has also co-developed a world-first, clinically relevant pre-clinical model of bortezomib-induced gastrointestinal toxicity and peripheral neuropathy that is integral to proof-of-concept studies assessing the utility of novel drug combinations and formulations to reduce the impact and severity of drug side effects relative to standard therapeutic approaches. His other research interests include the pathological mechanisms of proteasome inhibitor-induced gut dysfunction (including the role of gut microbiota), the role of stromal cell senescence in myeloma progression and the development of strategies to increase the effectiveness of CAR-T cells in cancer treatment.

Dr Mrozik's projects in the Myeloma Research Laboratory, based at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute:

Project 1

Title: The development of novel vasculature-modifying agents approaches to increase efficacy and decrease side effects of myeloma treatments

Description: A major cause of the dose-limiting toxicities associated with many anti-cancer agents is their systemic distribution following administration. Here, we are developing novel agents that modify vasculature within myeloma tumours and selectively increase drug delivery to the cancer. Using pre-clinical models, these agents are assessed for utility to decrease the incidence and severity of drug side effects (e.g. peripheral neuropathy and gastrointestinal toxicity) without compromising treatment of the cancer.    

 

Project 2

Title: The development of optimised nanomedicines for the treatment of myeloma

Description: Nanomedicine offers a promising opportunity to reduce drug side effects compared with standard drug formulations, by improving tumour targeting efficiency and controlling drug release. Using patented technology, we will develop optimised, state-of-the-art nanoparticle formulations that will be comprehensively assessed in established pre-clinical models for utility to reduce drug side effects without compromising treatment of myeloma disease, relative to standard drug formulations. This project is being performed in collaboration with researchers at the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology (The University of Adelaide).

 

Project 3

Title: Investigating the mechanisms of proteasome inhibitor-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction.

Description: Gastrointestinal pain dysfunction is the most common side effect of proteasome inhibitor use in the treatment of myeloma. Affected individuals face significant psychological distress, chronic morbidity, financial toxicity and worse survival outcomes. This project investigates, for the first time, the fundamental mechanisms of proteasome-inhibitor gastrointestinal toxicity, including visceral nerve damage and the role of the gut microbiota as a central player in this process. This project is being performed in collaboration with other researchers at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (The University of Adelaide), SAHMRI and Flinders University.

 

Project 4

Title: The role of stromal cell senescence in myeloma disease progression  

Description: Ageing represents a significant risk factor for progression from asymptomatic stage of myeloma, MGUS, to overt myeloma disease, suggesting that age-related cellular changes promote myeloma cell proliferation and disease progression. Here, we are investigating the role of stromal cell senescence in the development of myeloma and the utility of selolytic drugs to delay myeloma disease progression.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2020 - ongoing Beat Cancer Project Early Career Cancer Research Fellow University of Adelaide
    2018 - 2020 Postdoctoral Researcher The University of Adelaide
    2004 - 2012 Senior Research Associate The University of Adelaide
    2001 - 2004 Research Associate The University of Adelaide
    1999 - 2001 Research Associate Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2012 Scholarship Faculty of Health Sciences Divisional PhD Scholarship University of Adelaide Australia -

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    Polish Can read, write, speak and understand spoken

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2012 - 2018 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD
    1998 - 1998 The University of Adelaide Australia Honours Degree

  • Research Interests
    Cancer Cell Biology Cancer Therapy Drug discovery Cancer Biology and Clinical Oncology

2019 Cancer Council SA Beat Cancer Project Early Career Cancer Research Fellowship 2020-2023 ($480,000)

2019 Tour de Cure Annual Grant Program ($50,000)

Title: Cancer Council SA Beat Cancer Project travel grant 2015: Attendance at the 15th International Myeloma Workshop. Funding scheme: ORG112382: SAHMRI Beat Cancer Project Travel Grant (2015). Mrozik K; Zannettino A

Title: Investigation of periodontal ligament stem cell self-renewal, survival and tissue regeneration in vivo. Funding scheme: 900141: ADRF - Grant (2010). Mrozik K; Gronthos S; Bartold P; Zilm P

Title: Proteomic assessment of mesenchymal stem cells within ovine periodontal ligament and dental pulp. Funding scheme: 900141: ADRF - Grant (2007). Mrozik K; Gronthos S; Bartold P; Zilm P

Title: Proteomic assessment of mesenchymal stem cells within ovine periodontal ligament and dental pulp. Funding scheme: 900141: ADRF - Grant (2006). Mrozik K; Bartold P; Gronthos S; Zilm P

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 Co-Supervisor Mechanisms of bortezomib-induced gut dysfunction and novel strategies to mitigate its impact in people with multiple myeloma. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jacqui Steele Scott
    2020 Co-Supervisor Development and assessment of novel drug delivery strategies to improve the treatment of multiple myeloma Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Sadia Munir

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor The Role of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Senescence in Multiple Myeloma Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Natalya Plakhova

  • Event Participation
    Date Event Name Event Type Institution Country
    2021 - ongoing 15th Annual Florey Postgraduate Research Conference - Poster Assessor Conference University of Adelaide Australia
    2018 - ongoing SAHMRI Research Showcase - 3-Minute Thesis Assessor Conference SAHMRI -
    2018 - ongoing Annual Florey Postgraduate Research Conference - Poster Assessor Conference University of Adelaide -
  • Position: Externally Funded Research Fellow (A)
  • Phone: 81284694
  • Email: krzysztof.mrozik@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: SAHMRI, floor 5 South
  • Org Unit: Medical Sciences
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