Izabela D. Fokt, Ph.D.
Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine
About Dr. Fokt
Dr. Fokt's training and extensive experience is in organic chemistry and in the synthesis of complex organic molecules, with expertise in the synthesis of anticancer agents. Dr. Fokt participated in the discovery and development of synthetic methodologies for the large-scale synthesis of several clinically evaluated drugs like WP744 (Berubicin), Annamycin, and others. As a result of her prolific collaboration with Dr. Priebe over many years, three drugs have entered clinical trials. Dr. Fokt is a co-inventor of a number of patents covering novel strategies for numerous cancer treatments that include such targets as glycolysis, topoisomerase II, p-STAT3 and HIF-1α.
Dr. Fokt's personal interest is to further develop her carrier as a medicinal chemist and to develop novel targeted therapies for highly resistant tumors.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1993 | Silesian Technical University, Gliwice, POL, PHD, Chemistry |
| 1987 | Silesian Technical University, Gliwice, POL, Msc, Organic Chemistry |
Experience & Service
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Institutional Biosafety Committee, 2018 - Present
Member, Research Seminars Committee, 2005 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2014 | Barnhart Award in Targeted Therapies, UT MDACC ET Mentoring Committee |
| 1993 | Scholarship of the Foundation of Polish Science |
| 1990 | Polish Academy Science |
| 1989 | National Education Minister |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Olbryt M, Rusin A, Fokt I, Habryka A, Tudrej P, Student S, Sochanik A, Zielinski R, Priebe W. Bis-anthracycline WP760 abrogates melanoma cell growth by transcription inhibition, p53 activation and IGF1R downregulation. Invest New Drugs 35(5):545-555, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28417283.
- Sonawane P, Choi YA, Pandya H, Herpai DM, Fokt I, Priebe W, Debinski W. Novel Molecular Multilevel Targeted Antitumor Agents. Cancer Transl Med 3(3):69-79, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28825042.
- Lamhamedi-Cherradi SE, Menegaz BA, Ramamoorthy V, Vishwamitra D, Wang Y, Maywald RL, Buford AS, Fokt I, Skora S, Wang J, Naing A, Lazar AJ, Rohren EM, Daw NC, Subbiah V, Benjamin RS, Ratan R, Priebe W, Mikos AG, Amin HM, Ludwig JA. IGF-1R and mTOR Blockade: Novel Resistance Mechanisms and Synergistic Drug Combinations for Ewing Sarcoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 108(12), 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27576731.
- Malinska M, Fokt I, Priebe W, Wozniak K. Bromine Atom Interactions in Biologically Active Acrylamide Derivatives. Crystal Growth and Design 15(6):2632-2642, 2015.
- Cybulski M,Formela A, Fokt I. N-Chlorophthalimide as a mild and efficient chlorination reagent in the Gassman ortho alkylation of aromatic amines. Synthesis of 3-(methylthio)oxindoles. Tetrahedron Letters 55(40):5423-5425, 2014.
- Mielecki M, Krawiec K, Kiburu I, Grzelak K, Zagórski W, Kierdaszuk B, Kowa K, Fokt I, Szymanski S, Swierk P, Szeja W, Priebe W, Lesyng B, LaRonde-LeBlanc N. Development of novel molecular probes of the Rio1 atypical protein kinase. Biochim Biophys Acta 1834(7):1292-1301, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23523885.
- Fokt I, Skora S, Conrad C, Madden T, Emmett M, Priebe W. D-Glucose and D-mannose-based metabolic probes. Part 3: Synthesis of specifically deuterated D-glucose, D-mannose, and 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Carbohydr Res 368:111-9, 2013. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23376241.
- Sai K, Wang S, Balasubramaniyan V, Conrad C, Lang FF, Aldape K, Szymanski S, Fokt I, Dasgupta A, Madden T, Guan S, Chen Z, Alfred Yung WK, Priebe W, Colman H. Induction of cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in glioblastoma stem-like cells by WP1193, a novel small molecule inhibitor of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. J Neurooncol 107(3):487-501, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22249692.
- Sandulache VC, Ow TJ, Pickering CR, Frederick MJ, Zhou G, Fokt I, Davis-Malesevich M, Priebe W, Myers JN. Glucose, not glutamine, is the dominant energy source required for proliferation and survival of head and neck squamous carcinoma cells. Cancer 117(13):2926-38, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21692052.
- Yan H, Chen X, Zhang Q, Qin J, Li H, Liu C, Calhoun-Davis T, Coletta LD, Klostergaard J, Fokt I, Skora S, Priebe W, Bi Y, Tang DG. Drug-tolerant cancer cells show reduced tumor-initiating capacity: depletion of CD44 cells and evidence for epigenetic mechanisms. PLoS One 6(9):e24397, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21935404.
- Kong LY, Gelbard A, Wei J, Reina-Ortiz C, Wang Y, Yang EC, Hailemichael Y, Fokt I, Jayakumar A, Qiao W, Fuller GN, Overwijk WW, Priebe W, Heimberger AB. Inhibition of p-STAT3 Enhances IFN-alpha Efficacy against Metastatic Melanoma in a Murine Model. Clin Cancer Res 9(9):OF1-OF12, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20388845.
- Fokt I, Szymanski S, Skora S, Cybulski M, Madden T, Priebe W. D-Glucose- and D-mannose-based antimetabolites. Part 2. Facile synthesis of 2-deoxy-2halo-D-glucoses and -D-mannoses. Carbohydr Res 344(12):1464-1473, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19625015.
- Kong LY, Wei J, Sharma AK, Barr J, Abou-Ghazal MK, Fokt I, Weinberg J, Rao G, Grimm E, Priebe W, Heimberger AB. A novel phosphorylated STAT3 inhibitor enhances T cell cytotoxicity against melanoma through inhibition of regulatory T cells. Cancer Immunol Immunother 58(7):1023-32, 2009. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 19002459.
- Kong LY, Abou-Ghazal MK, Wei J, Chakraborty A, Sun W, Qiao W, Fuller GN, Fokt I, Grimm EA, Schmittling RJ, Archer GE, Sampson JH, Priebe W, Heimberger AB. A novel inhibitor of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 activation is efficacious against established central nervous system melanoma and inhibits regulatory T cells. Clin Cancer Res 14(18):5759-68, 2008. PMID: 18794085.
- Corvis Y, Korchowiec B, Korchowiec J, Badis M, Mironiuk-Puchalska E, Fokt I, Priebe W, Rogalska E. Complexation of metal ions in Langmuir films formed with two amphiphilic dioxadithia crown ethers. J Phys Chem B 112(35):10953-63, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18698707.
- Guha S, Chakraborty A, Kunnumakkara AB, Szymanski S, Fokt I, Abbruzzese J, Kazerooni R, Aggarwal B, Madden T, Priebe W. WP1066, a potent inhibitor of JAK2-STAT3 pathway inhibits pancreatic tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. Gastrointest Cancer Research 2(4):205-208, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
- Gruber BM, Anuszewska EL, Bubko I, Kasprzycka-Guttman T, Misiewicz I, Skupinska K, Fokt I, Piebe W. NFkappaB activation and drug sensitivity in human neoplastic cells treated with anthracyclines. Acta Pol Pharm 65(2):267-71, 2008. PMID: 18666436.
- Schroeder C, Fokt I, Johansen M, Rhea R, Allen TL, Madden T, Priebe W. WP760, a new DNA-binding agent with unique melanoma selectivity. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 6(12):3407S-3407S, 2007.
- Antonovic L, Fokt I, Szymanski S, Conrad C, Priebe W, Madden T. Inhibition of glycolysis and induction of autophagy in gliomas by 2-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 6(12):3443S-3443S, 2007.
- Antonovic L, Johansen M, Fokt I, Szymanski S, Conrad C, Priebe W, Madden T. 2-Deoxy-D-glucose induces Type II cell death in pancreatic cancer. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 6(12):3443S, Part 2, 2007.
- Zheng M, Priebe W, Walch ET, Roth KG, Han M, Tang CH, Lee S, Poindexter NJ, Fokt I, Grimm EA. WP760, a melanoma selective drug. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 60(5):625-633, 2007. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 17195067.
- Hussain SF, Kong LY, Jordan J, Conrad C, Madden T, Fokt I, Priebe W, Heimberger AB. A novel small molecule inhibitor of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 reverses immune tolerance in malignant glioma patients. Cancer Res 67(20):9630-6, 2007. PMID: 17942891.
- Kong LY, Hussain SF, Jordan J, Conrad C, Madden T, Fokt I, Priebe W, Heimberger AB. A novel small molecule inhibitor of STAT3 reverses immune tolerance in malignant glioma patients. Neuro-Oncology 9(4):507, 2007.
- Bidwell GL, Davis AN, Fokt I, Priebe W, Raucher D. A thermally targeted elastin-like polypeptide-doxorubicin conjugate overcomes drug resistance. Invest New Drugs 25(4):313-26, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17483874.
- Gruber BM, Anuszewska EL, Bubko I, Gozdzik A, Fokt I, Priebe W. Effect of structural modification at the 4, 3', and 2' positions of doxorubicin on topoisomerase II poisoning, apoptosis, and cytotoxicity in human melanoma cells. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 55(3):193-8, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17557149.
- Iwamaru A, Szymanski S, Iwado E, Aoki H, Yokoyama T, Fokt I, Hess K, Conrad C, Madden T, Sawaya R, Kondo S, Priebe W, Kondo Y. A novel inhibitor of the STAT3 pathway induces apoptosis in malignant glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Oncogene 26(17):2435-44, 2007. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 17043651.
- Bidwell GL, Fokt I, Priebe W, Raucher D. Development of elastin-like polypeptide for thermally targeted delivery of doxorubicin. Biochem Pharmacol 73(5):620-31, 2007. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 17161827.
- Bidwell P, Gene L, Fokt I, Priebe W, Raucher D. Development of elastin-like polypeptide for thermally targeted delivery of doxorubin. Biochemical Pharmacology 73(5):620-631, 2007.
- Lampidis TJ, Kurtoglu M, Maher JC, Liu H, Krishan A, Sheft V, Szymanski S, Fokt I, Rudnicki WR, Ginalski K, Lesyng B, Priebe W. Efficacy of 2-halogen substituted D-glucose analogs in blocking glycolysis and killing 'hypoxic tumor cells'. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 58(6):725-36, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16555088.
Abstracts
- Priebe W, Fokt I, Cybulski M, Zielinski R, Rusin A, Conrad C, Madden T. Latentiation of 2-Deoxy-D-glucose. Proceedings: 28th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, Munich, Germany; Nov 29- Dec 2, 2016 68(Supplement 1), 12/2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Zielinski R,Fokt I, Rusin A, Skora S, Priebe W. 2-Deoxy-2-halo-D-glucose derivatives inhibition of glycolysis in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Research. Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA 76(14). e-Pub 2016.
- Fokt I, Cybulski M, Skora S, Priebe W. Synthesis of selectively acetylated 2-deoxy-D-glucose, potential agents for treatment of brain tumors. Proceedings: 28th Annual International Carbohydrate Symposium, July 17-21, 2016,; New Orleans,LA. e-Pub 2016.
- Conrad C., Fokt I., Madden T., Priebe W.. An anthracycline analog, WP744, purposely designed to circumvent the blood-brain barrier appears to show activity in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas in a Phase I study. 2015 SNO-SCIDOT Joint Conference, San Antonio, TX, 2015.
- Zielinski R, Skora S, Rusin A, Fokt I, Heimberger A, Sawaya R, Priebe W. Combination of topoisomerase II poison Berubicin with. 20th Annual Society for Neuro-Oncology Annual Scientific Meeting, San Antonio, TX, 2015.
- Priebe W, Cybulski M, Fokt I, Conrad C,. Design and Development of Monosaccharide-based Anticancer Drugs. 58th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Polish Chemical Society, Sept 21-25, 2015, Gdansk, Poland:470, 2015.
- Priebe W, Jayakumar A, Radjendirane V, Fleming J,. Transcriptional Control of Pancreatic Cancer and Small Molecule Modulators of Transcription. Proceedings: EACR-AACR-SIC 2015 Special COnference, 20-23 June, 2015, Florence, Italy:28, 2015.
- Jayakumar A, Venugopal R, Zielinski R, Rusin A, Fokt I, Skora S, Ni X, Duvic M, Priebe W. High sensitivity of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) to CABE, a component of propolis. Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2015, April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, 2015.
- Rusin A, Zielinski R, Fokt I, Nguyen V, Skora S, Jayakumar A, Priebe W. WP760, A new highly potent and selective agent against melanoma including BRAFi resistant melanoma. Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2015, April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, 2015.
- Olbryt M, Rusin A, Fokt I, Habryka A, Sochanik A, Priebe W. Anti-melanoma activity of WP760 in various in vitro culturing conditions. Proceedings: 9th Int. Conf. of Anticancer Research, Oct 6-10, 2014, Porto Carras, Greece 34(10):6086-6086, 2014.
- Zielinski R, Rusin A, Priebe A, Arumugam J, Venugopal R, Skora S, Fokt I, Priebe W. STAT3/STAT5 blockade by WP1066 inhibits ovarian cancer cell proliferation and induces cell death. Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA 74(21), 2014.
- Jayakumar A, Venugopal R, Fleming J, Kang Y, Rusin A, Zielinski R, Skora S, Fokt I, Priebe W. Status of STAT3, STAT5, and NF-κB in pancreatic cancer cell lines, small molecule inhibitors, and potential clinical implications. Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA 74(21), 2014.
- Fokt I, Krawczyk M, Kosinski S, Skora S, Cybulski M, Priebe W. Facile, selective one-pot synthesis of 4-O-benzylated glycals. Proceedings: 247th ACS National Meeting, Dallas, TX, 3/2014, 2014.
- Choi Y, Pandya H, Gibo D, Fokt I, Priebe W, Debinski W. Nucleus-targeted doxorubicin as a potential therapy for glioblastoma. Neuro Oncology 15(3):iii37-iii61, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | High-Grade Astrocytoma-specific Molecular Targeting |
| Funding Source: | Wake Forest |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Maximizing Local Access to Therapeutic Deliveries in Glioblastoma |
| Funding Source: | Wake Forest |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Design and synthesis of small molecule inhibitors of proliferative and survival pathways |
| Funding Source: | Moleculin, LLC |
| Role: | Chemist |
| Title: | Selective IL-13RA2 Targeting Therapy for Ovarian Cancer: The “Nuclear Punch” Approach |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Novel Targeted Therapeutics for Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Mitochondrial metabolism affects immune checkpoint proteins in prostate cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Discovery and Development of Novel Anticancer Agents Targeting CNS malignancies |
| Funding Source: | CNS Pharmaceuticals |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Design and synthesis of small molecule inhibitors of proliferative and survival pathways project extension |
| Funding Source: | Moleculin, LLC |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified April 17, 2024