Professor Beata Pająk-Tarnacka, MD, PhD, DSc, Eng., EMBA – a medical biologist, professor of medical and health sciences, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at WPD Pharmaceuticals, and a specialist at the University of Warsaw Biological and Chemical Research Centre. For many years, she has been conducting interdisciplinary research in the fields of tumour biology, targeted therapies, cancer cell metabolism and mechanisms of drug resistance. Her scientific output includes over 80 scientific publications, including works on glioblastoma multiforme, immunotoxins, glycolysis inhibitors, and modern therapeutic strategies based on precision medicine.
She gained her research experience at institutions including the M. Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences (MMRI PAS), the Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, and the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. She has headed research laboratories and molecular biology teams, carrying out projects at the intersection of medical biology, translational oncology and molecular diagnostics.
In her research and translational work, she specialises in the development of innovative cancer therapies – from basic research through to the preclinical and implementation stages. She has led and co-coordinated numerous projects funded by the National Science Centre, the National Centre for Research and Development and European programmes, including projects carried out at WPD Pharmaceuticals concerning glioma therapies, novel immunotoxins, radiopharmaceuticals and theranostic platforms.
At WPD Pharmaceuticals, she is responsible for the scientific strategy and development of the portfolio of targeted therapies and anti-cancer conjugates, with a particular focus on cancers with high unmet medical needs. She oversees projects related to the development of molecularly targeted drugs, radiopharmaceuticals and advanced drug delivery platforms in oncology.
The recipient of numerous academic awards and honours, including the Minister of Science and Higher Education’s Scholarship for Outstanding Young Scientists, the L’Oréal-UNESCO “For Women in Science” Habilitation Scholarship, the “Polityka” Foundation’s “Stay with Us” and the Polish Smart Development Award in the “Scientist of the Future” category.
