Henry M. and Stella M. Hoenig Endowed Chair
School of Medicine
Mariusz Z. Ratajczak, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sci. is a professor in the Department of Medicine and the director of the Developmental Biology Research Program and of the Research Flow and Sorting Core Facility at the University of Louisville's Brown Cancer Center.
An internationally known specialist in the field of adult stem cell biology, his 2005 discovery of embryonic-like stem cells in adult bone marrow has potential to revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine. The discovery may lead to new treatments for heart disease, eye disease, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as provide insight into the development of many forms of leukemia.
Among his awards are the Foundation for Polish Sciences' 2006 annual award in Medicine and Biology, the 2004 Individual Award from the Polish Ministry of Health for Scientific Achievements and the 2002 Chad Kopple Spirit Award from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Ratajczak is editor-in-chief of the Central European Journal of Biology and section editor for the journal Leukemia. He is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the journals Stem Cells and Experimental Hematology.
He is the editor or author of numerous books and publications and lectures at conferences worldwide. He is a member of the International Society of Experimental Hematology, the American Society for Cancer Research, the Polish Academy of Sciences, the American Society of Hematology and the Polish Medical Society. His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Ratajczak earned his M.D. at the Pomeranian Medical University and his Ph.D. and D.Sci at the Center for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Warsaw, Poland. He completed fellowships at the Polish Academy of Sciences and the University of Pennsylvania.