Academic Status: Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Previous Academic Training: Ph.D. in Neuroscience (UBC), M.Sc. in Medical Microbiology, B.Sc. (Hons) in Microbiology (both University of Manitoba)

UBC Academic Department: Neurology Division, Faculty of Medicine

Supervisor(s): Helen Tremlett, PhD and Bruce Carleton, PharmD

Current Project: Genotype specific approaches to preventing adverse drug reactions in multiple sclerosis

Email: kaarina.kowalec@umanitoba.ca

Awards Received:

• Rising Star Award (2015)
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research Frederick Banting and Charles Best Doctoral Research Award (2011-2014)
• MS Society of Canada PhD Studentship (2014-2016)
• MS Society of Canada endMS SPRINT Tier II Trainee (2012-2013)
• CIHR DSECT Non-Stipend Trainee (2012-2013) and Funded Trainee (2014-2015)
• University of British Columbia 4-YR Fellowship (2011-2015)
• Manitoba Graduate Studentship (2008-2010)
• University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (Declined)
• British Columbia Clinical Genomics Network Travel Award (2011)
• Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada Travel Award (2011)

Publications:

• Osiowy C, Kowalec K, Giles E. (2016) Discordant diagnostic results due to a hepatitis B virus T123A HBsAg mutant. Diag Microbiol Infect Dis, accepted April 2016.
• Kowalec K, Kingwell E, Yoshida EM, Marrie RA, Kremenchutzky M, Campbell T, Wadelius M, Carleton BC, Tremlett H. (2014) Characteristics associated with drug induced liver injury from interferon beta in multiple sclerosis patients. Expert Opin Drug Saf, 13(10): 1305-17.
• Kowalec K, Carleton B, Tremlett H. (2013). The potential role of pharmacogenomics in the prevention of the serious adverse drug reactions in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler Related Dis, 2 (3): 183-192.
• Kowalec K, Yoshida E., Traboulsee A., Carleton B., Tremlett H. (2012). Suspected autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis unmasked by interferon-beta in a multiple sclerosis patient. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 2(1): 57-59.
• Kowalec K, Minuk, G.Y., Borreson, M., Simons, B., McMahon, B., and Osiowy, C. (2012). Genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus genotypes B6, D and F among circumpolar indigenous individuals with various clinical outcomes. J Viral Hepatitis, 20(2): 122-30.
• Minuk GY, Kowalec K, Larke B. and Osiowy C. (2012). The prevalence and long term outcome of occult hepatitis B virus infections in community based population. Journal of Medical Virology. 84(9): 1369-75.
• Osiowy C, Kaita K, Solar K, and Mendoza K. (2010) Hepatitis B virus molecular characterization and 9-year clinical profile in a patient infected with genotype I. Journal of Medical Virology. 82(6): 942-8.

Conference abstracts

• Kowalec K, Ross C, Kingwell E, Smith A, Traboulsee A, Yoshida E, Marrie RA, Kremenchutzky M, Campbell T, Duquette P, Carleton B, Tremlett H. and the Canadian Pharmacogenomics Network for Drug Safety Consortium. The genetics of interferon beta induced liver injury in multiple sclerosis. [Presented at the European Committee for Research and Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis, October 7-10 2015, Barcelona, Spain and the Neuroscience Extravaganza, October 29, 2015, Vancouver, Canada].
• Kowalec K, et al. The pharmacogenomics of interferon beta induced liver injury in multiple sclerosis. [Presented at the Child & Family Research Institute Trainee Forum, June 18 2015, Vancouver, Canada]
• Abel S, Amstutz U, Kowalec K, et al. Optimizing Hepatitis C Treatment Using Pharmacogenomic Biomarkers. [Presented at the Child & Family Research Institute Trainee Forum, June 18 2015, Vancouver, Canada and at the Experimental Medicine Student Research Day, June 25, 2015, Vancouver, Canada].
• Kowalec, K., Ross, C., Smith, A., Traboulsee, A., Yoshida, E., Marrie, R.A., Hayden, M.R., Carleton, B.C., and Tremlett, H.L. Genotype specific approaches to preventing drug-induced liver injury in multiple sclerosis: work in progress. [Presented at the Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Annual Conference, June 12-15 2012, Toronto ON; Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine conference, September 29-October 2^nd, 2011, Wellcome Trust Campus, Hinxton, UK; CMMT Symposium, November 7, 2011, and Neuroscience Extravaganza, November 24, 2011; both at the University of British Columba, Vancouver, Canada; EndMS Conference, December 2013, Saint-Sauveur QC)
• Solar, K., Minuk, G., Børresen, M., Koch, A., McMahon, B., Simons, B. and Osiowy, C. (2010). Association between hepatitis B virus longitudinal genetic variability and clinical outcome in circumpolar indigenous populations. [Presented at the 61^st American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases “The Liver Meeting”, October 29-November 2^nd, 2010, Boston, MA].
• Solar, K., Osiowy, C., Børresen, M., McMahon, B. and Minuk, G. (2009). Comparison among the mutational rate, nature and regional susceptibility of Hepatitis B virus genotypes D and F in Inuit populations. [Presented at the 14^th International Congress on Circumpolar Heath, July 11-14, Yellowknife, NT]
• Solar, K., Osiowy, C., Larke, B., and Minuk, G. (2009). Occult Hepatitis B in Northern Canada. [Presented at the 14^th International Congress on Circumpolar Heath, July 11-14, Yellowknife, NT]
• Osiowy, C., Kaita, K., Solar, K., and Mendoza, K. (2009) Dynamics of Intrahost Viral Evolution of a Complex Hepatitis B Virus Variant. [Presented at the 13^th International Symposium on Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease, March 20 – 24, 2009, Washington, DC].
• Osiowy, C., Kaita, K., Solar, K., and Mendoza, K. (2009) Dynamics of Intrahost Viral Evolution of a Complex Hepatitis B Virus Variant. Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology 23(SA): 147A. [Presented at the 2009 Canadian Digestive Diseases Week/ 5^th Annual Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver Winter Meeting, February 27 – March 2, 2009, Banff, AB].