Wieslaw Guz

Prof. Dr. Wieslaw Guz


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

8Years (2019-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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14 January 2026 in Pharmaceuticals
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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KDKlaudia Dynarowicz
Klaudia Dynarowicz
BSBarbara Smolak
Barbara Smolak
Dorota Bartusik-AebisherDorota Bartusik-Aebisher
Dorota Bartusik-Aebisher
WGWieslaw Guz
Wieslaw Guz
GHGabriela Henrykowska
Gabriela Henrykowska
David AebisherDavid Aebisher
David Aebisher
Glioblastoma, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1/2) wild-type (IDH-wildtype), is one of the most aggressive and malignant tumors of the central nervous system, characterized by rapid growth, pronounced cellular heterogeneity, and an exceptionally poor prognosis. The median survival time for patients with glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype, is approximately 15 months after diagnosis, and current multimodal treatment strategies remain largely ineffective. This review focuses on contemporary pharmacotherapeutic approaches used in the management of glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype, including temozolomide-based chemotherapy, corticosteroids for edema control, and antiangiogenic therapy in recurrent disease, with particular emphasis on their clinical efficacy and limitations. In addition, the review discusses emerging targeted therapeutic strategies developed for IDH-mutant diffuse gliomas, which represent a biologically distinct disease entity. Particular attention is given to ivosidenib, a selective inhibitor of mutant IDH1, currently evaluated for the treatment of astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, grade 4. Its epigenetic mechanism of action, involving inhibition of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), is outlined, along with preliminary clinical evidence suggesting potential to delay disease progression. Finally, innovative drug-delivery technologies designed to overcome the blood–brain barrier are briefly discussed as complementary strategies that may enhance the efficacy of both conventional and targeted therapies. Overall, future advances in the treatment of diffuse gliomas will likely depend on the integration of molecularly targeted agents, predictive biomarkers, and advanced delivery platforms aimed at improving patient survival and quality of life.


Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
WGWieslaw Guz
Wieslaw Guz
RPRafał Podgórski
Rafał Podgórski
ZBZuzanna Bober
Zuzanna Bober
David AebisherDavid Aebisher
David Aebisher
ATAdrian Truszkiewicz
Adrian Truszkiewicz
Dorota Bartusik-AebisherDorota Bartusik-Aebisher
Dorota Bartusik-Aebisher
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of Trastuzumab on the MCF-7 and CRL-2314 breast cancer cell lines. Additionally, an attempt was made to optimize magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for cell culture studies, with particular emphasis on the impact of treatment with Trastuzumab. The research materials included MCF-7 and CRL-2314 breast cancer cell lines. The study examined the response of these cell lines to treatment with Trastuzumab. The clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, OPTIMA MR360 manufactured by GEMS, with a magnetic field induction of 1.5 T, was used. Due to the nature of the tested objects, their size and shape, it was necessary to design and manufacture additional receiving coils. They were used to image the tested cell cultures and record the spectroscopic signal. The spectra obtained by MRS were confirmed by NMR using a 300 MHz NMR Fourier 300 with the TopSpin 3.1 system from Bruker. The designed receiving coils allowed for conducting experiments with the cell lines in a satisfactory manner. These tests would not be possible using factory-delivered coils due to their parameters and the size of the test objects, whose volume did not exceed 1 mL. MRS studies revealed an increase in the metabolite at 1.9 ppm, which indicates the induction of histone acetylation. Changes in histone acetylation play a very important role in both cell development and differentiation processes. The use of Trastuzumab therapy in breast cancer cells increases the levels of acetylated histones. MRS studies and spectra obtained from the 300 MHz NMR system are consistent with the specificity inherent in both systems.

26 December 2025 in Pharmaceuticals
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
BSBarbara Smolak
Barbara Smolak
KDKlaudia Dynarowicz
Klaudia Dynarowicz
Dorota Bartusik-AebisherDorota Bartusik-Aebisher
Dorota Bartusik-Aebisher
GHGabriela Henrykowska
Gabriela Henrykowska
David AebisherDavid Aebisher
David Aebisher
WGWieslaw Guz
Wieslaw Guz
Drug discovery is a complex and multi-stage process that requires advanced analytical technologies capable of accelerating preclinical evaluation and improving the precision of therapeutic design. The combination of fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within multimodal imaging plays an increasingly important role in modern pharmacokinetics, integrating the high molecular sensitivity of fluorescence with the non-invasive anatomical visualization offered by MRI. Fluorescence enables real-time monitoring of cellular processes, including drug–target interactions and molecular dynamics, whereas MRI provides detailed structural information on tissues without exposure to ionizing radiation. Hybrid probes—such as superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) functionalized with near-infrared (NIR) fluorophores or gadolinium-based complexes linked to optical dyes—enable simultaneous acquisition of molecular and anatomical data in a single examination. These multimodal systems are being explored in oncology, neurology, and cardiology, where they support improved visualization of tumor biology, amyloid pathology, and inflammatory processes in vascular disease. Although multimodal imaging shows great promise for enhancing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies, several challenges remain, including the potential toxicity of heavy-metal-based contrast agents, limited tissue penetration of fluorescence signals, probe stability in vivo, and the complexity and cost of synthesis. Advances in nanotechnology, particularly biodegradable carriers and manganese-based MRI contrasts, together with the integration of artificial intelligence algorithms, are helping to address these limitations. In the future, fluorescence–MRI hybrid imaging may become an important tool in personalized medicine, supporting more precise therapy planning and reducing the likelihood of clinical failure.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
WGWieslaw Guz
Wieslaw Guz
RPRafał Podgórski
Rafał Podgórski
David AebisherDavid Aebisher
David Aebisher
ATAdrian Truszkiewicz
Adrian Truszkiewicz
APAgnieszka Machorowska Pieniazek
Agnieszka Machorowska Pieniazek
Dorota Bartusik-AebisherDorota Bartusik-Aebisher
Dorota Bartusik-Aebisher
The aim of this work was to use and optimize a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system for three-dimensional (3D) images of small samples obtained from breast cell cultures in vitro. The basis of this study was to design MRI equipment to enable imaging of MCF-7 breast cancer cell cultures (about 1 million cells) in 1.5 and 2 mL glass tubes and/or bioreactors with an external diameter of less than 20 mm. Additionally, the development of software to calculate longitudinal and transverse relaxation times is described. Imaging tests were performed using a clinical MRI scanner OPTIMA 360 manufactured by GEMS. Due to the size of the tested objects, it was necessary to design additional receiving circuits allowing for the study of MCF-7 cell cultures placed in glass bioreactors. The examined sample’s volume did not exceed 2.0 mL nor did the number of cells exceed 1 million. This work also included a modification of the sequence to allow for the analysis of T1 and T2 relaxation times. The analysis was performed using the MATLAB package (produced by MathWorks). The created application is based on medical MR images saved in the DICOM3.0 standard which ensures that the data analyzed are reliable and unchangeable in an unintentional manner that could affect the measurement results. The possibility of using 1.5 T MRI systems for cell culture research providing quantitative information from in vitro studies was realized. The scanning resolution for FOV = 5 cm and the matrix was achieved at a level of resolution of less than 0.1 mm/pixel. Receiving elements were built allowing for the acquisition of data for MRI image reconstruction confirmed by images of a phantom with a known structure and geometry. Magnetic resonance sequences were modified for the saturation recovery (SR) method, the purpose of which was to determine relaxation times. An application in MATLAB was developed that allows for the analysis of T1 and T2 relaxation times. The relaxation times of cell cultures were determined over a 6-week period. In the first week, the T1 time value was 1100 ± 40 ms, which decreased to 673 ± 59 ms by the sixth week. For T2, the results were 171 ± 10 ms and 128 ± 12 ms, respectively.

24 August 2026 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
INIlaf Abdelkarim Ahmad Naser
Ilaf Abdelkarim Ahmad Naser
Dorota Bartusik-AebisherDorota Bartusik-Aebisher
Dorota Bartusik-Aebisher
BSBarbara Smolak
Barbara Smolak
KDKlaudia Dynarowicz
Klaudia Dynarowicz
EKEdward Kowalczyk
Edward Kowalczyk
GHGabriela Henrykowska
Gabriela Henrykowska
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive anticancer modality based on the interaction of a photosensitizer, light of an appropriate wavelength, and molecular oxygen, resulting in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated tumor injury. This review discusses PDT as a mechanism-dependent therapeutic platform and evaluates how photosensitizers, vitamin A, vitamin D, nanotechnology, and combination strategies may influence its efficacy. The article synthesizes mechanistic and translational evidence concerning photosensitizer activation, ROS generation, tumor cell death, vascular shutdown, immunogenic cell death, and clinically relevant PDT applications. Particular attention is given to the divergent roles of vitamin A and vitamin D. Mechanistic and limited experimental evidence indicates that the effects of vitamin A-related compounds on PDT are heterogeneous and context-dependent. Selected compounds may attenuate PDT through antioxidant or cytoprotective mechanisms, whereas enhancement has also been reported for specific retinoid–photosensitizer combinations; however, clinical evidence remains limited. In contrast, vitamin D may enhance ALA/MAL-PDT by increasing intracellular protoporphyrin IX accumulation through modulation of the heme biosynthetic pathway, especially in non-melanoma skin cancer contexts. Nanocarriers, targeted photosensitizers, oxygen-modulating platforms, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy may further improve PDT when selected according to mechanistic compatibility. Overall, PDT combination design should be guided by whether adjunctive agents support or undermine photosensitizer accumulation, oxygen availability, ROS-mediated cytotoxicity, and immune activation.