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Waldemar Debinski, M.D., Ph.D.

Waldemar Debinski, M.D., Ph.D.

Center of Excellence Director, Brain Tumor Center of Excellence
Professor, Neurosurgery
Translational Science Institute
Comprehensive Cancer Center
Brain Tumor Center of Excellence
Center for Cancer Genomics
Center for Biomolecular Imaging
Microbiology & Immunology
Cancer Biology
Translational Science Institute

Contact Information

Academic: 336-713-7634 | Department: 336-716-4081

Email: debinski@wakehealth.edu

Media Medical Expert »

Education & Training

  • M.D., Academy Med Warsaw-Poland , 1981
  • Ph.D., Mcgill University Med-Canada , 1989
Waldemar Debinski, M.D., Ph.D.

Waldemar Debinski, M.D., Ph.D.

Center of Excellence Director, Brain Tumor Center of Excellence
Professor, Neurosurgery Translational Science Institute
Comprehensive Cancer Center
Brain Tumor Center of Excellence
Center for Cancer Genomics
Center for Biomolecular Imaging
Microbiology & Immunology
Cancer Biology
Translational Science Institute

Research Interests

biotechnology, cancer/oncogenesis, cell growth, differentiation,d, drugs/therapeutic agents pharm, engineering/bioengineering, hormones/cytokines/signalling, molecular biology/molecular me

Contact Information

Academic: 336-713-7634 | Department: 336-716-4081

Email: debinski@wakehealth.edu

Media Medical Expert »

Recent Publications

Pandya H, Gibo DM, Garg S, Kridel S, Debinski W. An interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2-specific peptide homes to human glioblastoma multiforme xenografts. Neuro Oncol. 2012;14(1):6-18.

Beauchamp A, Debinski W. Ephs and ephrins in cancer: ephrin-A1 signalling. Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2012;23(1):109-115.

Lema Tome CM, Palma E, Ferlaga S, Lowther WT, Hantgan R, Wykosky J, Debinski W. Structural and functional characterization of monomeric EphrinA1 binding site to EphA2 receptor. J Biol Chem. 2012;287(17):14012-22.

Garcia-Espinosa MA, Lesser GJ, Debinski W, Tallant EA, Gallagher PE. Angiotensin-(1-7), a peptide hormone with therapeutic potential for the treatment of glioblastomas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the Amerian Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, Illinois. Philadelphia (PA): AACR. 2012;():Abstr 1938.


Beauchamp A, Lively MO, Mintz A, Gibo D, Wykosky J, Debinski W. EphrinA1 is released in three forms from cancer cells by matrix metalloproteases. Mol Cell Biol. 2012;32(16):3253-3264.

Nguyen V, Conyers JM, Zhu D, Gibo DM, Hantgan RR, Larson SM, Debinski W, Mintz A. A novel ligand delivery system to non-invasively visualize and therapeutically exploit the IL13R alpha2 tumor-restricted biomarker. Neuro Oncol. 2012;14(10):1239-1253.

Debinski W, Gonzales O, Beauchamp A, Gibo DM, Seals DF. Epha2/Ephrina1 system in conjunction with TKS5 regulates invadopodia formation in glioblastoma cells [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2012;14(Suppl 6):14.

Ferluga S, Debinski W. Glycosylation is critical for Ephrina1 production and Epha2 activation [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2012;14(Suppl 6):15.

Gibo DM, Dickinson P, Robertson J, Rossmeisl J, Debinski W. Highly potent cytotoxin targeting Il-13R alpha 2 in canine and human glioblastoma [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2012;14(Suppl 6):31-32.

Gibo DM, Debinski W, Bonomo J, Rossmeisl J, Robertson J, Dickinson P. Interleukin 13 receptor alpha-2 is widely over-expressed in human and canine primary brain tumors as detected by novel bispecies-specific monoclonal antibodies [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2012;14(Suppl 6):47.

Seals DF, Burger KL, Gibo DM, Debinski W. The role of proto-oncogenes in tumor-associated macrophage polarization and promotion of GBM tumor progression [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2012;14(Suppl 6):3.

Lema Tome CM, Miller LD, Debinski W. Molecular and genetic features of highly migratory glioblastoma cells [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2012;14(Suppl 6):162.

Debinski W, Gibo DM. Fos-related antigen 1 (Fra-1) pairing with and transactivation of JunB in GBM cells. Cancer Biol Ther. 2011;11(2):254-262.

Nguyen V, Conyers JM, Zhu D, Gibo DM, Dorsey JF, Debinski W, Mintz A. IL-13R alpha2-targeted therapy escapees: biologic and therapeutic implications. Transl Oncol. 2011;4(6):390-400.

Pandya H, Gibo DM, Debinski W. Molecular targeting of intracellular compartments specifically in cancer cells. Genes Cancer. 2010;1(5):421-433.

Candolfi M, Xiong W, Yagiz K, Liu C, Muhammad AKMG, Puntel M, Foulad D, Zadmehr A, Ahlzadeh GE, Debinski W, et al. Gene therapy-mediated delivery of targeted cytotoxins for glioma therapeutics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010;107(46):20021-6.


Beauchamp AS, Gibo DM, Wykosky J, Debinski W. Elucidation of the release and function of monomeric ephrina1 in glioblastoma multiforme [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2010;12(Suppl 4):22.

Pandya H, Gibo D, Debinski W. Development of multiple-specificity vectors for targeted delivery to intracellular compartments of GBM cells [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2010;12(Suppl 4):89.

Lema Tome CM, Wykosky J, Palma E, Debinski W. Functional and structural characterization of the high-affinity EphA2-binding site of ephrinA1 [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2010;12(Suppl 4):92.

Nguyen V, Murphy LT, Beauchamp AS, Hollingsworth CK, Debinski W, Mintz A. Combinatorial targeting of EphA2 and IL-13Ralpha2 GBM-restricted biomarkers [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2010;12(Suppl 4):97.


Tanaka ML, Debinski W, Puri IK. Hybrid mathematical model of glioma progression. Cell Prolif. 2009;42(5):637-646.

Debinski W, Tatter SB. Convection-enhanced delivery for the treatment of brain tumors. Expert Rev Neurother. 2009;9(10):1519-1527.

Debinski W, Garg S, Gibo DM, Kridel S, Pandya H. Isolation and characterization of interleukin 13 receptor alpha2-specific heptapeptides [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2009;11(6):898.

Debinski W, Dickinson P, Gibo DM. Novel monoclonal antibody 13R2.C3 against iinterleukin [sic] 13 receptor alpha-2 reveals a specific and more widespread expression of the receptor in various brain tumors [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2009;11(6):963.


Wykosky J, Debinski W. The EphA2 receptor and ephrinA1 ligand in solid tumors: function and therapeutic targeting. Mol Cancer Res. 2008;6(12):1795-1806.

Wykosky J, Palma E, Gibo DM, Ringler S, Turner CP, Debinski W. Soluble monomeric ephrinA1 is released from tumor cells and is a functional ligand for the EphA2 receptor. Oncogene. 2008;27(58):7260-7273.

Wykosky J, Palma E, Gibo D, Ringler S, Turner C, Debinski W. Metalloprotease cleavage of ephrinA1 releases a functional, soluble, monomeric ligand for the Epha2 receptor [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2008;10(5):774.

Debinski W. Molecular targeting with recombinant cytotoxins for the treatment of brain tumors. Drug Dev Res. 2008;69(7 Special Issue):407-414.

Debinski W. Drug cocktails for effective treatment of glioblastoma multiforme [editorial]. Expert Rev Neurother. 2008;8(4):515-517.

Chen J, Zhuang G, Frieden L, Debinski W. Eph receptors and ephrins in cancer: common themes and controversies. Cancer Res. 2008;68(24):10031-3.

Mintz A, Gibo DM, MadhanKumar AB, Cladel NM, Christensen ND, Debinski W. Protein- and DNA-based active immunotherapy targeting interleukin-13 receptor alpha2. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2008;23(5):581-589.

Shaw EG, Debinski W, Robbins ME. Central nervous system tumors: overview In: Gunderson LL, Tepper JE, eds. Clinical radiation oncology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone;2007: 459-492.

Schwartzbaum JA, Ahlbom A, Lonn S, Malmer B, Wigertz A, Auvinen A, Brookes AJ, Christensen HC, Henriksson R, Debinski W, et al. An international case-control study of interleukin-4R alpha, interleukin-13, and cyclooxygenase-2 polymorphisms and glioblastoma risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007;16(11):2448-2454.

Wykosky J, Gibo DM, Debinski W. A novel, potent, and specific ephrinA1-based cytotoxin against EphA2 receptor expressing tumor cells. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007;6(12):3208-3218.

Candolfi M, Xiong W, Muhammad A, Puntel M, Liu C, Kroeger K, Mondkar S, Rodriguez R, Debinski W, Lowenstein P, et al. Non-leaky, inducible adenoviral-mediated delivery of a mutated form of IL-13 (IL13.E13.K) fused to pseudomonas exotoxin induces regression of intracranial human glioblastoma xenografts [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2007;9(4):493.

Debinski W, Brown W, Gibo D. FRA-1 transactivates JunB in response to oncogenic activation or stress in GBM cells [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2007;9(4):471.

Debinski W, Gibo D, Wykosky J, Stanton C, Rossmeisl J, Robertson J. Canine gliomas over-express IL-13Ralpha2, EphA2, and Fra-1 in common with human high-grade astrocytomas [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2007;9(4):535-536.

Liu T, Cai J, Gibo D, Debinski W. Re-oxygenation of hypoxic glioblastoma multiforme cells potentiates killing effect of interleukin 13-based cytotoxins through re-establishment and further up-regulation of IL13 receptor alpha2 [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2007;9(4):494.

Palma E, Wykosky J, Debinski W. Structural requirements of ephrinA1 for the effective targeting of EphA2 receptors in gliomas [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2007;9(4):495.

Voelzke WR, Graves JT, Hemphill MB, Gibo DM, Debinski W, Petty WJ, Lesser G. Pre-clinical evaluation of erlotinib and 13-cis-retinoic acid for the treatment of malignant gliomas [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2007;9(4):492.

Wykosky J, Gibo D, Debinski W. A novel, potent, and specific ephrinA1-based cytotoxin against EphA2 receptor-expressing tumor cells [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2007;9(4):494.

Wykosky J, Gibo D, Stanton C, Debinski W. IL-13R alpha2, EphA2, and Fra-1 as molecular denominators of high-grade astrocytomas [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2007;9(4):546.


Debinski W, Gibo D. Fra-1 regulates and pairs with junB and undergoes phosphorylation in response to oncogenic signaling and irradiation [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2006;8(4):484.

Liu T, Cai J, Gibo D, Debinski W. Variant IL-13-directed diphtheria toxin fusion recombinant cytotoxin for the treatment of malignant gliomas [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2006;8(4):429.

Wykosky J, Debinski W. Ephrin A1 is a soluble, monomeric tumor-suppressing protein [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2006;8(4):403-404.

Wykosky J, Debinski W. Ephrin-A1 is a tumor-suppressing factor in GBM through the activation and downregulation of the EphA2 oncoprotein [abstract]. Neuro Oncol. 2006;8(4):404.

All Publications

For a listing of recent publications, refer to PubMed, a service provided by the National Library of Medicine.

For a list of earlier publications, visit the Carpenter Library Publication Search.

Professor, Neurosurgery

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