Roderick Slavcev

Dr. Slavcev’s research specializes in bacteriophage-based biotechnology and exploits phage genetic systems and phage themselves in the generation of novel therapeutic platforms. With particular focus on coliphages, his lab’s research designs and constructs vectors for novel vaccines, gene delivery systems and immunotherapeutics. In addition his team identifies and applies novel phage genomic anti-bacterial genes with potential phage therapy applications. Research in the Slavcev lab is heavily multidisciplinary, integrating genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, gene therapy, virology, therapeutic design, and synthetic in vivo biology.

• Therapeutic design
• Drug Discovery, Design and Delivery
• Oncology & infectious disease immunotherapy
• Dementia therapeutics and vaccine design
• iNeuron Cell Therapy
• Ocular Biology
• Anti-bacterials
• Phage-based therapeutic platforms
• Phage-based biomanufacturing
• Vaccines
• Gene editing
• Targeted gene therapy
• Nanomaterials
• Bionanotechnology and Biosensors

Dr. Slavcev’s interests are in genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, gene therapy, virology, therapeutic design, and synthetic in vivo biology. His research projects at Theraphage focus on bacteriophage-based biotechnology and include the use of coliphages to design and construct vectors for the development of novel vaccines, pharmaceuticals and gene delivery systems, and the identification and application of novel phage genomic anti-bacterial genes with potential phage therapy applications. Funding Agencies: NSERC Discovery, NSERC Alliance, NSERC CREATE, NFRF Transformation, MITACS, NGEN, NRC-IRAP, CIHR

Chief Technology Officer, Mediphage Bioceuticals, Inc., MaRS Toronto, ON (2017-Pres) & Principle Investigator, Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong (2020-Pres)

• 2006 MBA Biotechnology Management and Commercialization, Edwards School of Business, Canada
• 2005 Research Associate Fellowship Medical Genetics, University of Toronto, Canada
• 2002 PhD Microbial Genetics, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
• 1995 HBSc, University of Toronto, Canada

• ASGCT Research Award
• WIN Research Award
• JNJ Innovation Labs Technology Award
• Illumina Next Generation Sequencing Award
• Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) & Janssen Innovation in Education Award

• Resident (Mediphage), Johnson & Johnson Innovation Labs (Toronto), 2017 - Present

• Chartered Biologist, Royal Society of Biology (MRSB, C. Biol designation)
• Member, American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, 2012-Present
• Member, American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
• Member, Canadian Society for Microbiology

• Cross-appoints, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo
• Member, Centre of Bioengineering and Biotechnology
• Member. Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology
• Member, Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research
• Member, Bioworks Research Group

• PHARM 401 - Independent Study 2
  • Taught in 2022, 2023
• PHARM 610 - Topics in Drug Development
  • Taught in 2019, 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Talebnia, F., Pushparajah, D., Chandrasekaran, S., Hersch, S. J., Nafissi, N., & Slavcev, R. (2023). Application of an electro elution system for direct purification of linear covalently closed DNA fragments. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences, 1218, 123622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchromb.2023.123622
• Wong, Shirley & Jimenez, Salma & Slavcev, Roderick. (2023). Construction and characterization of a novel miniaturized filamentous phagemid for targeted mammalian gene transfer. Microbial Cell Factories. 22. 10.1186/s12934-023-02135-w.
• St. Jean, Jesse & Slavcev, Roderick & Nekkar Rao, Praveen (2023). The effects of amyloid beta aggregation on neuronal transcription. IBRO Neuroscience Reports. 14: 375–379.
• Huh, Haein & Chen, Ding-Wen & Foldvari, Marianna & Slavcev, Roderick & Blay, Jonathan. (2022). EGFR-targeted bacteriophage lambda penetrates model stromal and colorectal carcinoma tissues, is taken up into carcinoma cells, and interferes with 3-dimensional tumor formation. Frontiers in Immunology. 13. 10.3389/fimmu.2022.957233.
• Wong, Shirley & Alattas, Hibah & Slavcev, Roderick. (2021). A snapshot of the λ T4rII exclusion (Rex) phenotype in Escherichia coli. Current Genetics. 67. 10.1007/s00294-021-01183-2.
• Pushparajah, Deborah & Jimenez, Salma & Wong, Shirley & Alattas, Hibah & Nafissi, Nafiseh & Slavcev, Roderick. (2021). Advances in gene-based vaccine platforms to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 170. 10.1016/j.addr.2021.01.003.
• Alattas, Hibah & Wong, Shirley & Slavcev, Roderick. (2020). Identification of Escherichia coli Host Genes That Influence the Bacteriophage Lambda (λ) T4rII Exclusion (Rex) Phenotype. Genetics. 216. 10.1534/genetics.120.303643.
• Huh, Haein & Wong, Shirley & St. Jean, Jesse & Slavcev, Roderick. (2019). Bacteriophage Interactions with Mammalian Tissue: Therapeutic Applications. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 145. 10.1016/j.addr.2019.01.003.
• Razazan, Atefeh & Nicastro, Jessica & Slavcev, Roderick & Barati, Nastaran & Arab, Atefeh & Mosaffa, Fatemeh & Jaafari, mahmoud reza & Behravan, Javad. (2019). Lambda bacteriophage nanoparticles displaying GP2, a HER2/neu derived peptide, induce prophylactic and therapeutic activities against TUBO tumor model in mice. Scientific Reports. 9. 2221. 10.1038/s41598-018-38371-z.
• Arab, Atefeh & Behravan, Nima & Razazan, Atefeh & Barati, Nastaran & Mosaffa, Fatemeh & Nicastro, Jessica & Slavcev, Roderick & Behravan, Javad. (2018). The viral approach to breast cancer immunotherapy.
• Arab, Atefeh & Yazdian robati, Rezvan & Nicastro, Jessica & Slavcev, Roderick & Behravan, Javad. (2018). Phage-based Nanomedicines as New Immune Therapeutic Agents for Breast Cancer. Current Pharmaceutical Design. 24. 10.2174/1381612824666180327152117.
• Barati, Nastaran & Razazan, Atefeh & Nicastro, Jessica & Slavcev, Roderick & Arab, Atefeh & Mosaffa, Fatemeh & Nikpoor, Amin & Badiee, Ali & Jaafari, mahmoud reza & Behravan, Javad. (2018). Immunogenicity and antitumor activity of the superlytic λF7 phage nanoparticles displaying a HER2/neu-derived peptide AE37 in a tumor model of BALB/c mice. Cancer Letters. 424. 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.03.030.
• Arab, Atefeh & Nicastro, Jessica & Slavcev, Roderick & Razazan, Atefeh & Barati, Nastaran & Nikpoor, Amin & Momtazi, Amir Abbas & Mosaffa, Fatemeh & Badiee, Ali & Jaafari, mahmoud reza & Behravan, Javad. (2018). Lambda phage nanoparticles displaying HER2-derived E75 peptide induce effective E75-CD8+ T response. Immunologic Research. 66. 10.1007/s12026-017-8969-0.

• Slavcev, R. and N. Nafissi. 2023. Vectors for Producing Virus-Like Particles and Uses Thereof. https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20230140025
• Slavcev, R. and N. Nafissi. 2022. DNA Vector Production System. https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/RE49294
• Slavcev, R. and N. Nafissi. 2022. DNA Vector Production System. https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/RE48908
• Slavcev, R., Huh H., and J. Blay. 2021. EGFR Binding Moiety-Presenting Bacteriophages for Tumor Treatment. https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20210100858
• Slavcev, R. and Behravan, J. 2020. Fusion Protein Comprising Bacteriophage λ
• GPD Fused to a GP2 Antigen Derived from HER-2/NEU. https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/10736955R. Slavcev and J. Behravan. 2018. Peptide Displaying Bacteriophage Nanoparticles and Related Compositions and Methods. WO/2019/102265 https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2019102265
• Slavcev, R. and N. Nafissi. 2016. DNA Vector System US 8926184 B2 (http://www.google.com/patents/US9290778).
• Slavcev, R. and J. Nicastro. 2015. A Fine-tuned Lytic Phage Display System. USPTO serial #: 61/815467 (https://www.google.com/patents/US20150031583dq=slavcev&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjKoaLFm_HOAhWFsh4KHSrcDuYQ6AEILDAC)
• Slavcev, R. and N. Nafissi. 2014. In vivo linear covalently closed DNA vector production system. USPTO serial #: 61/729,384 (http://www.google.com/patents/US20140206037)
• Slavcev, R., Kaur, T., Nafissi, N. and S. Wettig. 2011. Safe and Efficient Gene Therapeutics: A Novel Polyplexed Mini-Linear Covalently Closed Transgene Delivery System with Application to Cancer Gene Therapy. USPTO serial #: 61/344,851 (provisional abandoned).
• Slavcev, R. and N. Nafissi. 2016. (CIP) DNA Vector System. US 20160333361 A1 https://patents.google.com/patent/US20160333361A1/en?q=slavcev

• February 12, 2021: When the next pandemic hits, scientists aim to have a vaccine already. Here’s how.
• October 19, 2020: A closer look at Canada’s homegrown COVID-19 vaccine candidates
• April 18, 2020: UW researchers work to develop DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19