Katie Partyka
Papers
1
Total Citations
45
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Katie Partyka is a leading glycobiologist whose research focuses on the discovery and validation of glycan-based biomarkers for the early detection of pancreatic cancer. Her major contributions center on characterizing the complex sugar structures, or glycans, that are aberrantly expressed on proteins in cancer patients. In her highly cited 2015 work (45 citations), Partyka addressed a critical limitation of the standard CA19-9 biomarker, which relies on the sialyl-Lewis A (sLeA) glycan but fails to detect approximately 25% of pancreatic cancers. By employing advanced glycan motif profiling, she demonstrated that sLeA-negative tumors instead secrete elevated levels of the related sialyl-Lewis X (sLeX) glycan in the plasma. This seminal finding provided a novel, complementary biomarker strategy to improve diagnostic coverage. Dr. Partyka’s work has significant implications for closing the diagnostic gap in pancreatic cancer, where early detection is notoriously difficult. Her research continues to drive the development of more comprehensive glycan panels, aiming to translate these molecular insights into clinically useful blood tests that could save lives through earlier intervention.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
- 1