Contact

maria.lecka@pwr.edu.pl 
L-1, room 29
LinkedIn 

Research

My research centers on the validation of novel therapeutic compounds, with a strong emphasis on protease-selective antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for cancer treatment. With a background in antibody engineering and therapeutic development, I specialize in the biochemical evaluation of ADCs, particularly assessing their cytotoxicity and stability across diverse cancer models. I utilize a range of advanced cell-based assay techniques, including flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and real-time imaging with IncuCyte.

In addition, my work involves the validation of fluorophore-labeled activity-based probes, focusing on their selectivity and functional activity in cellular environments as well as studies on cell killing in co-culture models and apoptosis detection using Caspase 3/7 activation and Annexin V labeling.

Education and research internships

2024 - 2025 Post-doc position, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wrocław, Poland. Biochemical evaluation of a cathepsin B-selective antibody drug conjugates in a breast cancer model, OPUS-LAP, 2020/39/I/NZ5/03104.

2019 - 2024 Senior Scientist and Research Team Coordinator, Pure Biologics S.A., Wrocław, Poland. Coordinating team, Developing high-affinity binders for different target proteins via Phage Display Selection and their validation using ELISA, flow cytometry and BLI.

2017 – 2018 Reaserch Assistant, The University of Chicago, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chicago, USA. Developing high-affinity binders for different target proteins via Phage Display Selection and their validation (ELISA, SPR, cell-based assays), Bispecific antibody generation using plug-and-play system.

2017 Graduate Student Internship, The University of Texas, Health Science Center at Houston, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Houston, USA. Study of the interaction of peripheral immune cells with the brain and their role in the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

2016 Graduate Student Internship, The Jagiellonian University, Department of Microbiology, Krakow, Poland. Expression and purification of NS2B-NS3 protease form Zika virus.

2015 Graduate Student Internship, Technical University of Denmark, Division of Immunology & Vaccinology, Dennmark, Phenotyping γδ T lymphocytes of various origins using flow cytometry.

2013 – 2022 PhD in Biotechnology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Microbiology, Wrocław, Poland.  Thesis: Obtaining IgY antibodies specific to Tumor Associated NADH Oxidase (tNOX) and their biochemical evaluation.

2012 – 2013 MSc in Biotechnology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland, Biochemical evaluation of IgY antibodies specific to Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA).

Publications and patents

Domagala J, Grzywa TM, Baranowska I, Justyniarska M, Tannir R, Graczyk-Jarzynka A, Kusowska A, Lecka M, Poreba M, Fidyt K, Marhelava K, Pilch Z, Picard LK, Wegierski T, Jastrzebski K, Krawczyk M, Klopotowska M, Granica M, Urlaub D, Hajduk S, Neeser A, Moros S, Kozlowski P, Bobrowicz M, Miaczynska M, Ma L, Watzl C, Winiarska M. Ammonia Suppresses the Antitumor Activity of Natural Killer Cells and T Cells by Decreasing Mature Perforin. Cancer Research Mar 31 (2025) doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-24-0749.

Gruba N, Martinez J, Grzywa R, Wysocka M, Skoreński M, Dąbrowska A, Łęcka M, Suder, P Sieńczyk M, Pyrć K, Lesner A. One step beyond: design of substrates spanning primed positions of Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 9(10), s. 1025-1029 (2018) doi:

Gruba N, Martinez JIR, Grzywa R, Wysocka M, Skorenski M, Burmistrz M, Lecka M, Lesner A, Sienczyk M, Pyrc K, Substrate profiling of Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease. FEBS LETTERS, Vol. 590 (20),p.3459-3468, 10/2016

Łupicka-Słowik A, Walczak A, Grzywa R, Bobrek K, Łęcka M, Boivin S, Gaweł A,  Stefaniak T, Oleksyszyn J, Sieńczyk M. Generation and application of polyclonal IgY antibodies specific for full-length and nicked prostate-specific antigen, M Bioanalysis, (2014), doi:

Grzywa R, Burchacka E, Winiarski Ł, Łęcka M, Walczak M, Łupicka M, Burster, T Bobrek K, Csencsits-Smith K, Lesner A, Sieńczyk M. Synthesis of Novel Phosphonic-Type Activity-Based Probes for Neutrophil Serine Proteases and Their Application in Spleen Lysates of Different Organisms. ChemBioChem, Vol. 15 (17), p.2605-2612, (2014), doi:

Kossiakoff A, Arauz-Diaz E, Lecka M, Slezak T. Growth Hormone Receptor Targeting Polypeptides; WO 2023/159178 A2

Polyclonal antibodies of the IgY class specific for the Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease, method for their production and their use, PL238888, 10/2021

Polyclonal antibodies specific for the IgY class I epitope of PSA protein, a method for their preparation and use, PL224234, 12/2016

Polyclonal antibodies specific IgY class human protein epitope CA 15-3(1066-1085), their preparation and use, PL224244, 12/2016

Polyclonal antibodies IgY class-specific to an epitope of the PSA protein II, their preparation and use, PL224219, 11/2016

Polyclonal IgY class antibodies, specific for gp120 protein of HIV-1, the process for their preparation and their use, PL223729, 10/2016

Conferences

Lecka M, Arauz E, Kossiakoff, A. Developing high-affinity binders for human growth hormone receptor via antibody phage display. Molecular Biosciences Research Conference, University of Chicago Galena, IL , 11/2017

Łęcka M, Sieńczyk M, Grzywa R, Oleksyszyn J, Generation of IgY antibodies specific to selected ENOX2 epitopes 7th PEGS Europe Protein & Antibody Engineering Summit, Lisbon, 11/2015