Contact
Dr. Sylwia Anna Dragulska is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Touro University. She is a synthetic chemist with expertise in nanomedicine, drug delivery, and cancer therapy. Her research focuses on the design and characterization of peptide-coated nanoparticles for targeted therapy and biomedical imaging, with applications in ovarian cancer treatment. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and a book chapter, co-invented patented nanoparticle-based technologies, and received recognition such as an ACS journal cover feature.
With more than 15 years of teaching experience, Dr. Dragulska has taught General and Organic Chemistry in both the United States and Europe. She is deeply committed to student mentorship, curriculum innovation, and advancing translational research at the interface of chemistry and medicine. Her long-term academic vision integrates innovative nanomedicine research with translational applications and student-centered education, bridging the gap between fundamental chemistry and biomedical solutions.
Education
- PhD, Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Poland
- Thesis: Synthesis of labeled tryptamine and mechanistic studies of their biotransformation by isotopic methods
- MSc, Organic Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Poland
Honors and Awards
- Cover feature, ACS Bioconjugate Chemistry (2022)
- CUNY Prototype Grant (2024) and Prototyping Reimbursement Program (PRP, 2025), offered by the NYC Innovation Hot Spot and CUNY I-Corps, Co-Principal Investigator
- KNOW Award, Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (2015)
- Research internships: University of Trieste, Italy (2015); Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland (2015)
Research
- Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for ovarian cancer therapy
- Peptide-coated nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery and noninvasive imaging
- Enzymatic and chemical synthesis of isotope-labeled compounds for mechanistic and diagnostic applications
- In vitro and in vivo evaluation of anticancer nanomedicines
Publications
- Dragulska, S. A., Santiago, M. A., Poursharifi, M., & Mieszawska, A. J. (2025). Peptide-Coated Nanoparticles for Noninvasive Biomedical Imaging. Biomedical Nanotechnology, 37-53. Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/lcw_pubs/186
- Mieszawska, A. J., Dragulska, S. A., Poursharifi, M., Wlodarczyk, M. T., Chen, Y., Martignetti, J. A., & Santiago, M. A. (2024). Method of Forming Peptide-Coated Nanoparticles. United States. Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/lcm_pubs/43
- Mieszawska, A. J., Dragulska, S. A., Poursharifi, M., Wlodarczyk, M. T., Chen, Y., Martignetti, J. A., & Santiago, M. A. (2024). Method of Forming Peptide-Coated Nanoparticles. United States. Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/lcw_pubs/183
- Wlodarczyk, M. T., Dragulska, S. A., Chen, Y., Poursharifi, M., Acosta Santiago, M., Martignetti, J. A., & Mieszawska, A. J. (2023). Pt(II)-PLGA Hybrid in a pH-Responsive Nanoparticle System Targeting Ovarian Cancer. Pharmaceutics, 15 (2), 607. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15020607
- Dragulska, S. A., Poursharifi, M., Chen, Y., Wlodarczyk, M. T., Acosta Santiago, M., Dottino, P., Martignetti, J. A., & Mieszawska, A. J. (2022). Engineering and Validation of a Peptide-Stabilized Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) Acid Nanoparticle for Targeted Delivery of a Vascular Disruptive Agent in Cancer Therapy. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 33 (12), 2348-2360. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00418
Professional Service
Pre-Health Advisor at LCW, mentoring students preparing for health professions (PA, PT, OT, pharmacy).
Memberships and Affiliations
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
