Frank Pajonk

Frank Pajonk

Professor, Radiation Oncology, University of California Los Angeles

Professor, Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles

Interests

breast cancer, glioblastoma, radiation, cancer cell plasticity, stem cells, gbm, drug development, cancer stem cells

Education and Training

Albert-Ludwigs UniversityHabilitation
Albert-Ludwigs UniversityMD
Albert-Ludwigs UniversityPhD
Albert-Ludwigs UniversityVenia Legendi

Publications

  1. Ludwig K, Le Belle JE, Muthukrishnan SD, Sperry J, Condro M, Vlashi E, Pajonk F, Kornblum HI. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidase Promotes Glioblastoma Radiation Resistance in a Phosphate and Tensin Homolog-Dependent Manner.. Antioxidants & redox signaling, 2023.
  2. He L, Ioannidis A, Arambula E, Hoffman CJ, Joshi P, Kathiravan A, Whitelegge J, Liau LM, Kornblum HI, Pajonk F. Activation of the mevalonate pathway in response to anti-cancer treatments drives glioblastoma recurrences through activation of Rac-1.. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2023.
  3. He L, Bhat K, Ioannidis A, Pajonk F. Effects of Dopamine Receptor Antagonists and Radiation on Mouse Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells.. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2023.
  4. Muthukrishnan SD, Kawaguchi R, Nair P, Prasad R, Qin Y, Johnson M, Wang Q, VanderVeer-Harris N, Pham A, Alvarado AG, Condro MC, Gao F, Gau R, Castro MG, Lowenstein PR, Deb A, Hinman JD, Pajonk F, Burns TC, Goldman SA, Geschwind DH, Kornblum HI. P300 promotes tumor recurrence by regulating radiation-induced conversion of glioma stem cells to vascular-like cells.. Nature communications, 2022.
  5. Bhat K, Saki M, Cheng F, He L, Zhang L, Ioannidis A, Nathanson D, Tsang J, Bensinger SJ, Nghiemphu PL, Cloughesy TF, Liau LM, Kornblum HI, Pajonk F. Dopamine Receptor Antagonists, Radiation, and Cholesterol Biosynthesis in Mouse Models of Glioblastoma.. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2021.
  6. He L, Bhat K, Ioannidis A, Zhang L, Nguyen NT, Allen JE, Nghiemphu PL, Cloughesy TF, Liau LM, Kornblum HI, Pajonk F. Effects of the DRD2/3 antagonist ONC201 and radiation in glioblastoma.. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, 2021.
  7. Muftuoglu Y, Pajonk F. Targeting Glioma Stem Cells.. Neurosurgery clinics of North America, 2021.
  8. He L, Bhat K, Duhacheck-Muggy S, Ioannidis A, Zhang L, Nguyen NT, Moatamed NA, Pajonk F. Tumor necrosis factor receptor signaling modulates carcinogenesis in a mouse model of breast cancer.. Neoplasia (New York, N.Y.), 2020.
  9. Bhat K, Medina P, He L, Zhang L, Saki M, Ioannidis A, Nguyen NT, Sodhi SS, Sung D, Magyar CE, Liau LM, Kornblum HI, Pajonk F. 1-[(4-Nitrophenyl)sulfonyl]-4-phenylpiperazine treatment after brain irradiation preserves cognitive function in mice.. Neuro-oncology, 2020.
  10. Bhat K, Saki M, Vlashi E, Cheng F, Duhachek-Muggy S, Alli C, Yu G, Medina P, He L, Damoiseaux R, Pellegrini M, Zemke NR, Nghiemphu PL, Cloughesy TF, Liau LM, Kornblum HI, Pajonk F. The dopamine receptor antagonist trifluoperazine prevents phenotype conversion and improves survival in mouse models of glioblastoma.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2020.
  11. Saki M, Bhat K, Sodhi SS, Nguyen NT, Kornblum HI, Pajonk F. Effects of Brain Irradiation in Immune-Competent and Immune-Compromised Mouse Models.. Radiation research, 2019.
  12. Duhachek-Muggy S, Bhat K, Medina P, Cheng F, He L, Alli C, Saki M, Muthukrishnan SD, Ruffenach G, Eghbali M, Vlashi E, Pajonk F. Radiation mitigation of the intestinal acute radiation injury in mice by 1-[(4-nitrophenyl)sulfonyl]-4-phenylpiperazine.. Stem cells translational medicine, 2019.
  13. Zhang L, Bailleul J, Yazal T, Dong K, Sung D, Dao A, Gosa L, Nathanson D, Bhat K, Duhachek-Muggy S, Alli C, Dratver MB, Pajonk F, Vlashi E. PK-M2-mediated metabolic changes in breast cancer cells induced by ionizing radiation.. Breast cancer research and treatment, 2019.
  14. Steinberg ML, McBride WH, Vlashi E, Pajonk F. If It Seems Too Good to Be True….. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2019.
  15. Bhat K, Sandler K, Duhachek-Muggy S, Alli C, Cheng F, Moatamed NA, Magyar CE, Du L, Li G, McCloskey S, Vlashi E, Pajonk F. Serum erythropoietin levels, breast cancer and breast cancer-initiating cells.. Breast cancer research : BCR, 2019.
  16. Bhat K, Duhachek-Muggy S, Ramanathan R, Saki M, Alli C, Medina P, Damoiseaux R, Whitelegge J, McBride WH, Schaue D, Vlashi E, Pajonk F. 1-(4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)-4-penylpiperazine increases the number of Peyer's patch-associated regenerating crypts in the small intestines after radiation injury.. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, 2018.
  17. Zhang L, Bochkur Dratver M, Yazal T, Dong K, Nguyen A, Yu G, Dao A, Bochkur Dratver M, Duhachek-Muggy S, Bhat K, Alli C, Pajonk F, Vlashi E. Mebendazole Potentiates Radiation Therapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2018.
  18. Garrett M, Sperry J, Braas D, Yan W, Le TM, Mottahedeh J, Ludwig K, Eskin A, Qin Y, Levy R, Breunig JJ, Pajonk F, Graeber TG, Radu CG, Christofk H, Prins RM, Lai A, Liau LM, Coppola G, Kornblum HI. Metabolic characterization of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutant and IDH wildtype gliomaspheres uncovers cell type-specific vulnerabilities.. Cancer & metabolism, 2018.
  19. Kirsch DG, Diehn M, Kesarwala AH, Maity A, Morgan MA, Schwarz JK, Bristow R, Demaria S, Eke I, Griffin RJ, Haas-Kogan D, Higgins GS, Kimmelman AC, Kimple RJ, Lombaert IM, Ma L, Marples B, Pajonk F, Park CC, Schaue D, Tran PT, Bernhard EJ. The Future of Radiobiology.. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2018.
  20. Qi XS, Pajonk F, McCloskey S, Low DA, Kupelian P, Steinberg M, Sheng K. Radioresistance of the breast tumor is highly correlated to its level of cancer stem cell and its clinical implication for breast irradiation.. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, 2017.
  21. Duhachek-Muggy S, Bhat K, Vlashi E, Pajonk F. Growth Differentiation Factor 11 does not Mitigate the Lethal Effects of Total-Abdominal Irradiation.. Radiation research, 2017.
  22. Vlashi E, Chen AM, Boyrie S, Yu G, Nguyen A, Brower PA, Hess CB, Pajonk F. Radiation-Induced Dedifferentiation of Head and Neck Cancer Cells Into Cancer Stem Cells Depends on Human Papillomavirus Status.. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2016.
  23. Yu VY, Nguyen D, Pajonk F, Kupelian P, Kaprealian T, Selch M, Low DA, Sheng K. Incorporating cancer stem cells in radiation therapy treatment response modeling and the implication in glioblastoma multiforme treatment resistance.. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2015.
  24. Vlashi E, Pajonk F. The metabolic state of cancer stem cells-a valid target for cancer therapy?. Free radical biology & medicine, 2014.
  25. Vlashi E, Pajonk F. Cancer stem cells, cancer cell plasticity and radiation therapy.. Seminars in cancer biology, 2014.
  26. Vlashi E, Lagadec C, Vergnes L, Reue K, Frohnen P, Chan M, Alhiyari Y, Dratver MB, Pajonk F. Metabolic differences in breast cancer stem cells and differentiated progeny.. Breast cancer research and treatment, 2014.
  27. Lagadec C, Vlashi E, Bhuta S, Lai C, Mischel P, Werner M, Henke M, Pajonk F. Tumor cells with low proteasome subunit expression predict overall survival in head and neck cancer patients.. BMC cancer, 2014.
  28. Lagadec C, Vlashi E, Frohnen P, Alhiyari Y, Chan M, Pajonk F. The RNA-binding protein Musashi-1 regulates proteasome subunit expression in breast cancer- and glioma-initiating cells.. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio), 2014.
  29. Pajonk F, Vlashi E. Characterization of the stem cell niche and its importance in radiobiological response.. Seminars in radiation oncology, 2013.
  30. Vlashi E, Lagadec C, Chan M, Frohnen P, McDonald AJ, Pajonk F. Targeted elimination of breast cancer cells with low proteasome activity is sufficient for tumor regression.. Breast cancer research and treatment, 2013.
  31. Lagadec C, Vlashi E, Alhiyari Y, Phillips TM, Bochkur Dratver M, Pajonk F. Radiation-induced Notch signaling in breast cancer stem cells.. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2013.
  32. Steinberg M, McBride WH, Vlashi E, Pajonk F. National Institutes of Health funding in radiation oncology: a snapshot.. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2013.
  33. Falkai P, Malchow B, Wobrock T, Gruber O, Schmitt A, Honer WG, Pajonk FG, Sun F, Cannon TD. The effect of aerobic exercise on cortical architecture in patients with chronic schizophrenia: a randomized controlled MRI study.. European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 2012.
  34. Lagadec C, Pajonk F. Catch-22: does breast cancer radiotherapy have negative impacts too?. Future oncology (London, England), 2012.
  35. Lagadec C, Vlashi E, Della Donna L, Dekmezian C, Pajonk F. Radiation-induced reprogramming of breast cancer cells.. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio), 2012.
  36. Lagadec C, Dekmezian C, Bauché L, Pajonk F. Oxygen levels do not determine radiation survival of breast cancer stem cells.. PloS one, 2012.
  37. Della Donna L, Lagadec C, Pajonk F. Radioresistance of prostate cancer cells with low proteasome activity.. The Prostate, 2011.
  38. Vlashi E, Lagadec C, Vergnes L, Matsutani T, Masui K, Poulou M, Popescu R, Della Donna L, Evers P, Dekmezian C, Reue K, Christofk H, Mischel PS, Pajonk F. Metabolic state of glioma stem cells and nontumorigenic cells.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2011.
  39. Potts BC, Albitar MX, Anderson KC, Baritaki S, Berkers C, Bonavida B, Chandra J, Chauhan D, Cusack JC, Fenical W, Ghobrial IM, Groll M, Jensen PR, Lam KS, Lloyd GK, McBride W, McConkey DJ, Miller CP, Neuteboom ST, Oki Y, Ovaa H, Pajonk F, Richardson PG, Roccaro AM, Sloss CM, Spear MA, Valashi E, Younes A, Palladino MA. Marizomib, a proteasome inhibitor for all seasons: preclinical profile and a framework for clinical trials.. Current cancer drug targets, 2011.
  40. Evers P, Lee PP, DeMarco J, Agazaryan N, Sayre JW, Selch M, Pajonk F. Irradiation of the potential cancer stem cell niches in the adult brain improves progression-free survival of patients with malignant glioma.. BMC cancer, 2010.
  41. Pajonk F, Vlashi E, McBride WH. Radiation resistance of cancer stem cells: the 4 R's of radiobiology revisited.. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio), 2010.
  42. Lagadec C, Vlashi E, Della Donna L, Meng Y, Dekmezian C, Kim K, Pajonk F. Survival and self-renewing capacity of breast cancer initiating cells during fractionated radiation treatment.. Breast cancer research : BCR, 2010.
  43. Vlashi E, Pajonk F. Targeted cancer stem cell therapies start with proper identification of the target.. Molecular cancer research : MCR, 2010.
  44. Vlashi E, Mattes M, Lagadec C, Donna LD, Phillips TM, Nikolay P, McBride WH, Pajonk F. Differential Effects of the Proteasome Inhibitor NPI-0052 against Glioma Cells.. Translational oncology, 2010.
  45. Vlashi E, McBride WH, Pajonk F. Radiation responses of cancer stem cells.. Journal of cellular biochemistry, 2009.
  46. Woodward WA, Bristow RG, Clarke MF, Coppes RP, Cristofanilli M, Duda DG, Fike JR, Hambardzumyan D, Hill RP, Jordan CT, Milas L, Pajonk F, Curran WJ, Dicker AP, Chen Y. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group translational research program stem cell symposium: incorporating stem cell hypotheses into clinical trials.. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2009.
  47. Vlashi E, Kim K, Lagadec C, Donna LD, McDonald JT, Eghbali M, Sayre JW, Stefani E, McBride W, Pajonk F. In vivo imaging, tracking, and targeting of cancer stem cells.. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2009.
  48. Phillips TM, Kim K, Vlashi E, McBride WH, Pajonk F. Effects of recombinant erythropoietin on breast cancer-initiating cells.. Neoplasia (New York, N.Y.), 2007.
  49. Phillips TM, McBride WH, Pajonk F. The response of CD24(-/low)/CD44+ breast cancer-initiating cells to radiation.. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2006.
  50. Pajonk F, Riedisser A, Henke M, McBride WH, Fiebich B. The effects of tea extracts on proinflammatory signaling.. BMC medicine, 2006.
  51. Pajonk F, Grumann T, McBride WH. The proteasome inhibitor MG-132 protects hypoxic SiHa cervical carcinoma cells after cyclic hypoxia/reoxygenation from ionizing radiation.. Neoplasia (New York, N.Y.), 2006.
  52. Henke M, Mattern D, Pepe M, Bézay C, Weissenberger C, Werner M, Pajonk F. Do erythropoietin receptors on cancer cells explain unexpected clinical findings?. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2006.
  53. van Ophoven A, Rossbach G, Pajonk F, Hertle L. Safety and efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of interstitial cystitis: a randomized, sham controlled, double-blind trial.. The Journal of urology, 2006.
  54. Fekete MR, McBride WH, Pajonk F. Anthracyclines, proteasome activity and multi-drug-resistance.. BMC cancer, 2005.
  55. Pajonk F, van Ophoven A, Weissenberger C, McBride WH. The proteasome inhibitor MG-132 sensitizes PC-3 prostate cancer cells to ionizing radiation by a DNA-PK-independent mechanism.. BMC cancer, 2005.
  56. Pajonk F, van Ophoven A, McBride WH. Hyperthermia-induced proteasome inhibition and loss of androgen receptor expression in human prostate cancer cells.. Cancer research, 2005.
  57. Kessler H, Pajonk FG, Supprian T, Falkai P, Multhaup G, Bayer TA. [The role of copper in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease].. Der Nervenarzt, 2005.
  58. Pajonk FG, Wobrock T, Falkai P. [Longterm therapy of schizophrenia].. Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie, 2005.
  59. Pajonk FG, Ruchholtz S, Waydhas C, Schneider-Axmann T. Long-term follow-up after severe suicide attempt by multiple blunt trauma.. European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists, 2005.
  60. Pajonk FG, Wobrock T, Falkai P. [Longterm therapy of schizophrenia].. Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie, 2005.
  61. Pajonk F, Scholber J, Fiebich B. Hypericin-an inhibitor of proteasome function.. Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology, 2005.
  62. Wobrock T, Falkai P, Pajonk FG. [Acute treatment of schizophrenia].. Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie, 2004.
  63. Pajonk F, Weil A, Sommer A, Suwinski R, Henke M. The erythropoietin-receptor pathway modulates survival of cancer cells.. Oncogene, 2004.
  64. Retz W, Retz-Junginger P, Hengesch G, Schneider M, Thome J, Pajonk FG, Salahi-Disfan A, Rees O, Wender PH, Rösler M. Psychometric and psychopathological characterization of young male prison inmates with and without attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.. European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 2004.
  65. Pajonk FG, Lubda J, Sittinger H, Moecke H, Andresen B, Von Knobelsdorff G. [Assessment of psychiatric emergencies by physicians in the pre-hospital emergency medical system. A re-evaluation after 7 years].. Der Anaesthesist, 2004.
  66. McBride WH, Chiang CS, Olson JL, Wang CC, Hong JH, Pajonk F, Dougherty GJ, Iwamoto KS, Pervan M, Liao YP. A sense of danger from radiation.. Radiation research, 2004.
  67. Köllner V, Lautenschläger KA, Pajonk FG. [Psychooncology. New aspects for urology].. Der Urologe. Ausg. A, 2004.
  68. Wobrock T, Pajonk FG, Falkai P. [Schizophrenia].. Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie, 2004.
  69. Wobrock T, Pajonk FG, Falkai P. [Schizophrenia].. Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie, 2004.
  70. Pajonk FG. Risperidone in acute and long-term therapy of schizophrenia--a clinical profile.. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 2004.
  71. McBride WH, Iwamoto KS, Syljuasen R, Pervan M, Pajonk F. The role of the ubiquitin/proteasome system in cellular responses to radiation.. Oncogene, 2003.
  72. Pajonk FG, Fleiter B. [Psychopharmacological treatment in the pre-clinical emergency medicine].. Der Anaesthesist, 2003.
  73. Lean ME, Pajonk FG. Patients on atypical antipsychotic drugs: another high-risk group for type 2 diabetes.. Diabetes care, 2003.
  74. Pajonk FG, Schreiner A, Peters S, Rettig K, Degner D, Rüther E. [Initial use of risperidone in the treatment of acutely exacerbated schizophrenic patients--an interim analysis].. Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie, 2003.
  75. Pajonk F, Himmelsbach J, Riess K, Sommer A, McBride WH. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 protease inhibitor saquinavir inhibits proteasome function and causes apoptosis and radiosensitization in non-HIV-associated human cancer cells.. Cancer research, 2002.
  76. Pajonk F, McBride WH. Survival of AIDS patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma may be improved by the radiosensitizing effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy.. AIDS (London, England), 2002.
  77. Pajonk FG, Fischer A, Waydhas C, Bregenzer T, Schweiberer L. [Outcome of long-term intensive therapy of surgery patients].. Der Unfallchirurg, 2002.
  78. Pajonk FG, Holzbach R, Naber D. Comparing the efficacy of atypical antipsychotics in open uncontrolled versus double-blind controlled trials in schizophrenia.. Psychopharmacology, 2002.
  79. Pajonk F, Riess K, Sommer A, McBride WH. N-acetyl-L-cysteine inhibits 26S proteasome function: implications for effects on NF-kappaB activation.. Free radical biology & medicine, 2002.
  80. Pajonk F, Weissenberger C, Witucki G, Henke M. Vitiligo at the sites of irradiation in a patient with Hodgkin's disease.. Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al], 2002.
  81. McBride WH, Pajonk F, Chiang CS, Sun JR. NF-kappa B, cytokines, proteasomes, and low-dose radiation exposure.. Military medicine, 2002.
  82. Pajonk F, McBride WH. The proteasome in cancer biology and treatment.. Radiation research, 2001.
  83. Pajonk F, Schlessmann S, Guttenberger R, Henke M. Epithelial cells in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer of the head and neck: incidence, detection and possible clinical significance.. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, 2001.
  84. Pajonk F, McBride WH. Ionizing radiation affects 26s proteasome function and associated molecular responses, even at low doses.. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, 2001.
  85. Pajonk F, McBride WH. Comment on double-strand break repair and rapamycin treatment.. International journal of radiation biology, 2000.
  86. Pajonk F, Pajonk K, McBride WH. Apoptosis and radiosensitization of hodgkin cells by proteasome inhibition.. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2000.
  87. Pajonk F, Pajonk K, McBride WH. Inhibition of NF-kappaB, clonogenicity, and radiosensitivity of human cancer cells.. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1999.
  88. Henke M, Guttenberger R, Barke A, Pajonk F, Pötter R, Frommhold H. Erythropoietin for patients undergoing radiotherapy: a pilot study.. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, 1999.
  89. Pajonk F, Flick H, Mittelviefhaus H, Slanina J. Postoperative pterygium prevention by radiotherapy with strontium-90 beta-rays.. Frontiers of radiation therapy and oncology, 1997.