Margit M. Janát-Amsbury

Margit M. Janát-Amsbury, MD, PhD

Languages spoken: German, Spanish, English, French, Dutch, Czech

Academic Information

Departments Adjunct - Molecular Pharmaceutics

MARGIT M. JANÁT-AMSBURY is holding a faculty appointment as Assistant Professor with the Division of Gynecologic Oncology in Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, at the University of Utah and is the Research Director for Gynecologic Oncology. She received her M.D., Ph.D. in Gynecologic Oncology at Universität zu Köln (University of Cologne), Germany, did her clinical fellowships at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, at the Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands and conducted her postdoctoral research studies at the University of Utah.
Prof. Janát-Amsbury focuses on the development of animal models for novel drug-, and gene carriers for clinical use in cancer therapy focusing mainly on gynecological malignancies. Her laboratory specializes in the design and development of innovative delivery systems and linking the areas of stem-cell-research, nano-medicine, macromolecular drug delivery, pharmaceutics and bioengineering to clinical applications. Delivery systems investigated by the Janát-Amsbury group are tailored to the tumor immunology of gynecological malignancies, and also target other areas of interest from the broad field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, including reproductive endocrinology and infertility, maternal fetal medicine as well as benign conditions as uterine fibroids and endometrioses.
Prof. Janát-Amsbury's research aims to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools specifically for ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer to facilitate faster market entry for new therapeutics. She has extensive clinical trial experience in oncology as an investigator and as a clinician in Europe and the United States and also held appointments at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands and at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she focused on translational research, being a lead-investigator in the first ever in humans applied polymeric IL-12 delivery system conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial in humans treating patients with recurrent ovarian cancer under a gene therapy protocol she developed. This clinical trial is currently open for recruitment here at Huntsman Cancer Institute GOG170-Q: A Phase II Evaluation of Intraperitoneal EGEN-001 (IL-12 plasmind formulated with PEG-PEI-cholesterol lipopolymer) in the Treatment of Persistent or Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian, Fallopian Tube or Primary Peritoneal Cancer)
Prof. Janát-Amsbury was recruited back to the University of Utah by the department of gynecology and obstetrics, division of gynecologic oncology in fall 2007 where she focuses on establishing a translational research program linking basic scientists and clinicians together for the benefit of researching new paths to diagnose and cure gynecologic cancers. Her research has led to new patents and is being funded by the NIH.

Research Statement

My research focuses on the development and translation of new drug and gene carriers for clinical use in cancer therapy, with a particular interest in gynecological malignancies including breast cancer and tumor immunology. The translational focus is oriented to link specialties like Nanomedicine, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioengineering to the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology with main interest for Gynecologic Oncology.

Education History

Professional Medical Universitat zu Köln, Medical School
 MD
Internship/Residency Universitat zu Köln, Department of Visceral and Vascular Surgery
 Intern/Resident
Internship/Residency Universitat zu Köln, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
 Intern/Resident
Internship/Residency Mount Sinai School of Medicine
 Intern/Resident
Professional Medical Universitat zu Köln
 MD, PhD
Residency Universitat zu Köln, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
 Resident
Research Fellow University of Utah, Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Biomedical Polymers
 Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Fellowship University of Maastricht, Academisch Ziekenhuis (AZM), Dept. of OB/Gyn
 Clinical Fellow

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Janat-Amsbury MM, Yockman JW, Anderson ML, Kieback DG, Kim SW (2006). Comparison of ID8 MOSE and VEGF-modified ID8 cell lines in an immunocompetent animal model for human ovarian cancer. Anticancer Res, 26(4B), 2785-9.
  2. Janat-Amsbury MM, Yockman JW, Anderson ML, Kieback DG, Kim SW (2006). Combination of local, non-viral IL12 gene therapy and systemic paclitaxel chemotherapy in a syngeneic ID8 mouse model for human ovarian cancer. Anticancer Res, 26(5A), 3223-8.
  3. Cho S, Sun Y, Soisson AP, Dodson MK, Peterson CM, Jarboe EA, Kennedy AM, Janat-Amsbury M (2013). Characterizing a syngeneic orthotopic mouse ovarian cancer model system for the evaluation of novel drug delivery systems. Anticancer research, Apr; 33(4), 1317-24.
  4. Cho SungPil, Jarboe, Kennedy, Soisson, Dodson, Sun, Janat-Amsbury M (2013). Development and characterization of a syngeneic mouse ovarian cancer model. Anticancer research, 33(4), 1317-1324.
  5. Almomen A, Cho S, Yang CH, Li Z, Jarboe EA, Peterson CM, Huh KM, Janát-Amsbury M (2015). Thermosensitive Progesterone Hydrogel: A Safe and Effective New Formulation for Vaginal Application. Pharmaceutical research,
  6. Almomen A, Jarboe EA, Dodson MK, Peterson CM, Owen SC, Janát-Amsbury MM (2016). Imiquimod Induces Apoptosis in Human Endometrial Cancer Cells In vitro and Prevents Tumor Progression In vivo. Pharmaceutical research, 33(9), 2209-17.
  7. Kurbacher CM, Grecu OM, Stier U, Gilster TJ, Janat-Amsbury MM, Untch M, Konecny G, Bruckner HW, Cree I (2003). ATP chemosensitivity testing in ovarian and breast cancer: early clinical trials. Recent results in cancer research. Fortschritte der Krebsforschung. Progres dans les recherches sur le cancer, 161, 221-30.
  8. Abood Okal, Karina Matissek, Stephan Matissek, Robert Price, Mohamed Salama, Margit Maria Janát-Amsbury, and Carol Li (2014). Re-engineered p53 Activates Apoptosis In Vivo and Causes Primary Tumor Regression in A Dominant Negative Breast Cancer Xenograft Model. Gene therapy,
  9. Arnida, Janat-Amsbury MM, Ray A, Peterson CM, Ghandehari (2011). Geometry and surface characteristics of gold nanoparticles influence their biodistribution and uptake by macrophages. European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics, 77(3), 417-23.
  10. Janat-Amsbury MM, Yockman JW, Lee M, Kern S, Furgeson DY, Bikram M, Kim S (2005). Local, non-viral IL-12 gene therapy using a water soluble lipopolymer as carrier system combined with systemic paclitaxel for cancer treatment. Journal of controlled release, 101(1-3), 273-85.
  11. Bikram M, Lee M, Chang CW, Janat-Amsbury MM, Kern SE, Kim S (2005). Long-circulating DNA-complexed biodegradable multiblock copolymers for gene delivery: degradation profiles and evidence of dysopsonization. Journal of controlled release, 103(1), 221-33.
  12. Zhang R, Luo K, Yang J, Sima M, Sun Y, Janat-Amsbury MM, Kopecek (2013). Synthesis and evaluation of a backbone biodegradable multiblock HPMA copolymer nanocarrier for the systemic delivery of paclitaxel. Journal of controlled release, 166(1), 66-74.
  13. Park H, Cho S, Han YH, Janat-Amsbury MM, Boudina S, Bae Y (2015). Combinatorial gene construct and non-viral delivery for anti-obesity in diet-induced obese mice. Journal of controlled release, 207, 154-62.
  14. Park H, Cho S, Han YH, Janat-Amsbury MM, Boudina S, Bae Y (2015). Combinatorial gene construct and non-viral delivery for anti-obesity in diet-induced obese mice. Journal of controlled release, 25(207), 154-162.
  15. Cho S, Sun Y, Jarboe EA, Soisson AP, Dodson MK, Gaffney DK, Peterson CM, Janát-Amsbury M (2013). Mucoadhesive hybrid gel improves intraperitoneal platinum delivery. International journal of pharmaceutics, 458(1), 148-155.
  16. Janat-Amsbury MM, Peterson CM, Kim S (2009). The role of gene- and drug delivery in women's health--unmet clinical needs and future opportunities. Preface. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 61(10), 767.
  17. Hunn J, Dodson MK, Webb J, Soisson AP, Janat-Amsbury M (2009). Endometrial cancer - current state of the art therapies and unmet clinical needs: the role of surgery and preoperative radiographic assessment. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 61(10), 871-82.
  18. Montejo M, Werner TL, Gaffney D, Janat-Amsbury M (2009). Current challenges in clinical management of endometrial cancer. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 61(10), 883-9.
  19. Janat-Amsbury MM, Yockman JW, Lee M, Kern S, Furgeson DY, Bikram M, Kim S (2004). Combination of local, nonviral IL12 gene therapy and systemic paclitaxel treatment in a metastatic breast cancer model. Molecular therapy, 9(6), 829-36.
  20. Furgeson DY, Yockman JW, Janát MM, Kim S (2004). Tumor efficacy and biodistribution of linear polyethylenimine-cholesterol/DNA complexes. Molecular therapy, 9(6), 837-45.
  21. Theisen ER, Gajiwala S, Bearss J, Sorna V, Sharma S, Janat-Amsbury (2014). Reversible inhibition of lysine specific demethylase 1 is a novel anti-tumor strategy for poorly differentiated endometrial carcinoma. BMC cancer, October(14), 752.
  22. Taurin S, Yang CH, Reyes M, Cho S, Coombs DM, Jarboe EA, Werner TL, Peterson CM, Janát-Amsbury M (2017). Endometrial Cancers Harboring Mutated Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 Protein Are Successfully Treated With a New Small Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor in an Orthotopic Mouse Model. International journal of gynecological cancer,
  23. Sadekar S, Ray A, Janat-Amsbury M, Peterson CM, Ghandehari (2011). Comparative biodistribution of PAMAM dendrimers and HPMA copolymers in ovarian-tumor-bearing mice. Biomacromolecules, 12(1), 88-96.
  24. Sadekar S, Ray A, Janat-Amsbury M, Peterson CM, Ghandehari (2011). Correction to Comparative Biodistribution of PAMAM Dendrimers and HPMA Copolymers in Ovarian-Tumor-Bearing Mice. Biomacromolecules,
  25. Li Z, Cho S, Kwon IC, Janat-Amsbury MM, Huh K (2013). Preparation and characterization of glycol chitin as a new thermogelling polymer for biomedical applications. Carbohydrate polymers, 92(2), 2267-75.
  26. Arauchi A, Yang CH, Cho S, Jarboe EA, Peterson CM, Bae YH, Okano T, Janát-Amsbury M (2014). An Immunocompetent, Orthotopic Mouse Model of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Utilizing Tissue Engineered Tumor Cell Sheets. Tissue engineering. Part C, Methods,
  27. Sadekar S, Linares O, Noh G, Hubbard D, Ray A, Janát-Amsbury M, Peterson CM, Facelli J, Ghandehari (2013). COMPARATIVE PHARMACOKINETICS OF PAMAM-OH DENDRIMERS AND HPMA COPOLYMERS IN OVARIAN-TUMOR-BEARING MICE. Drug delivery and translational research, Jun; 1((3)3), 260-271.
  28. Yang CH, Almomen A, Wee YS, Jarboe EA, Peterson CM, Janát-Amsbury M (2015). An estrogen-induced endometrial hyperplasia mouse model recapitulating human disease progression and genetic aberrations. Cancer medicine,

Review

  1. Taurin S, Almomen AA, Pollak T, Kim SJ, Maxwell J, Peterson CM, Owen SC, Janát-Amsbury MM (2017). Thermosensitive hydrogels a versatile concept adapted to vaginal drug delivery. Journal of drug targeting, (15), 1-18.
  2. Janat-Amsbury MM, Gupta KM, Kablitz CD, Peterson C (2009). Drug delivery for in vitro fertilization: rationale, current strategies and challenges. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 61(10), 871-82.

Book Chapter

  1. Janat-Amsbury, M.M., Bae Y (2013). Nanotechnology in Cancer. 703-730.

Abstract

  1. Janat-Amsbury MM, Yockman JW, Anderson ML, Kieback DG, Kim S (2004). Combination of local, non-viral IL-12 gene delivery and systemic paclitaxel treatment in a highly metastatic mouse mammary carcinoma.

Newspaper

  1. Janat-Amsbury, M.M., Alter O (2015). University of Utah's researchers¿ mathematical models could provide better ovarian cancer treatment outcomes.
  2. Vahrenkamp J, Janat-Amsbury MM, Gertz (2018). Utah researchers find cortisol may exacerbate endometrial cancers.

Video/Film/CD/Web/Podcast

  1. Vahrenkamp J, Janat-Amsbury MM, Gertz (2018). Researchers at Huntsman discover driving force of aggressive endometrial cancer.
  2. Vahrenkamp J, Janat-Amsbury MM, Gertz (2018). Surprising Discovery Provides Insights into Aggressive Endometrial Cancers.