Biography

Dr. Leszek Kotula, Associate Professor of Urology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, was born and educated in Poland. He received his M.D. degree from the Medical School in Lublin, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Wroclaw, Poland. Upon immigrating to the United States Dr. Kotula did his postdoctoral training in molecular biology and genetics at the Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology in Philadelphia, 1987-1992. In 1993 Leszek started his own lab at the New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, NY. Following positions at the New York Blood Center and SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, he joined Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

 

Dr. Kotula has been working in the areas of genetics, molecular and cell biology, and cancer biology for the last 27 years. Dr. Kotula cloned human alpha spectrin spectrin gene and human spectrin SH3 domain binding protein gene (SSH3BP1, also known as ABI1) and discovered its roles in macropinocytosis and in prostate cancer. Dr. Kotula’s research has been independently funded since 1995 by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, American Heart Association, and from several foundations, including the F.M. Kirby Foundation, NJ; Carol Baldwin Foundation, CNY; and most recently from the Joyce Curry Pancreatic Cancer Fund, NY. Dr. Kotula publishes his research in high impact peer-review journals.

 

Dr. Kotula has a deep appreciation for using an integrative approach to solve scientific problems and utilizing new innovative techniques to advance science and knowledge past the current limitations.