Scientific Articles Published by K. Molnar-Kimber, Ph.D.

Here are 50+ samples of my writing of scientific articles. To ease your scanning of this list, a short description precedes each group on a given topic.

I am the corresponding author on 20 scientific articles which are marked with *. The corresponding author has final responsibility for the interpretation of the data and writing of the manuscript, as well as writing cover letters and responding to the journal's and reviewers' comments.

The Immune Response

I initially investigated how the immune system works in mice during graduate school at University of Pennsylvania. The immune systems of mice, men, and women have many common characteristics.

The first six scientific articles showed that a special gene complex in mice, called Mls, induces many T cells to multiply or grow because the T cells recognize Mls in a different way than regular antigens. This type of antigen is now called a “superantigen”.

Since this time, several other labs have identified other antigens that cause many T cells to grow or proliferate in a similar manner. For example, the antigen from Staphylococcus aureus that causes toxic shock syndrome is classified as a super antigen.

1. Molnar-Kimber, K.L. and Sprent, J. (1980). Absence of H-2 restriction in primary and secondary mixed lymphocyte reactions to strong Mls determinants. J. Exp. Med. 151: 407-417.

2. Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Webb, S.R., Sprent, J. and Wilson, D.B. (1980). T-cell lines with dual specificity for strong Mls and H-2 determinants. J. Immunol. 125: 2643-2645.

3. Sprent, J., Korngold, R. and Molnar-Kimber, K.L. (1980). T-cell recognition of antigen in vivo: role of the H-2 complex. In: Seminars in Immunopathology, Vol. III: Communication Between Subsets of Lymphocytes. (Ed. K. Eichmann). Springer-Verlag. pp. 213-245.

4. Molnar-Kimber, K.L., and Sprent, J. (1981). Evidence that strong Mls determinants are nonpolymorphic. Transplantation 31: 376-378.

5. Webb, S.R., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Bruce, J., Wilson, D.B. and Sprent, J. (1981). T-cell clones with specificity for Mls and various major histocompatibility complex determinants. J. Exp. Med. 154: 1970-1974.

6. Webb, S.R., Bruce, J., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Wilson, D.B. and Sprent, J. (1982). Anti-H-2 reactivity of Mls-specific T-cell clones. In: Isolation, Characterization and Utilization of T-Lymphocytes. Academic Press. pp. 331-339.

Virology--(Hepatitis B Virus, Adenovirus, HIV) and Vaccines

The next science articles investigated how some infectious agents grow: we used molecular biology, virology, and cell biology methodology to advance the fields.

7. Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Summers, J., Taylor, J.M. and Mason, W.S. (1983). A protein is covalently-bound to minus strand DNA intermediates of duck hepatitis B virus. J. Virol. 45: 165-172.

8. Halpern, M.S., England, J.E., Deery, D.T., Petcu, D.J., Mason, W.S. and Molnar-Kimber, K.L. (1983). Viral nucleic acid synthesis and antigen accumulation in pancreas and kidney of Pekin ducks infected with duck hepatitis B virus. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (U.S.A.) 80: 4865-4869.

9. Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Summers, J. and Mason, W.S. (1984). Mapping of the cohesive overlap of duck hepatitis B virus DNA and of the site of initiation of reverse transcription. J. Virol. 51: 181-191.

10. Mason, W.S., Halpern, M.S., Newbold, J., Rogler, C., Molnar-Kimber, K.L. and Summers, J. (1985). Molecular Biology of the replication of Hepatitis B viruses. In: Viruses and Cancer. (Eds. P.W.J.Rigley and N.M. Wilkie). pp. 23-42.

My research interests then focused on how mice and other animals wage war against infectious agents. I played an integral role in the generation of several vaccine candidates from Wyeth Labs, although none of these vaccines are currently marketed.

Design, Characterization and Development of new types of vaccines for Hepatitis B Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a cause of AIDS.

11. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Davis, A.R., Jarocki-Witek, V., Lubeck, M.D., Vernon, S.K., Conley, A.J. and Hung, P.P. (1987). Characterization and assembly of Hepatitis B envelope proteins expressed by recombinant adenoviruses. In: Hepadna Viruses (Eds. W. Robinson, K. Koike and H. Will). Alan R. Liss, Inc., New York. pp. 173-187.

12. Hung, P.P., Morin, J.E., Lubeck, M.D., Barton, J.E., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Mason, B.B., Dheer, S.K., Jarocki-Witek, V., Kostek, B., Zandle, G., Conley, A.J. and Davis, A.R. (1987). Recombinant adenovirus as a vehicle for the HBV surface antigen or HIV envelope protein genes. In: Human Retroviruses, Cancer and AIDS: Approaches to Prevention and Therapy. (Ed. D. Bolognesi). Alan R. Liss, Inc. New York. pp. 349-361.

13. Mason, B.B., Morin, J.E., Davis, A.R., Conley, A.J., Lubeck, M.D., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Chengalvala, M., Bhat, B., Dheer, S.K., Hum, W.T. and Hung, P.P. (1988). In: Current Communications in Molecular Biology: Viral Vectors. (Eds. Y. Gluzman and S.H. Hughes). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. pp.51-55.

14. Chanda, P.K., Natuk, R.J., Greenberg, L., Mason, B.B., Bhat, B.M., Dheer, S. K., Morin, J.E., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Mizutani, S., Lubeck, M.D., Davis, A.R. and Hung, P.P.. (1988). Expression of HIV Envelope Glycoproteins by Non-Defective Adenovirus Vector. In: Approaches to Modern vaccines. (Ed. H.Ginsberg). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. pp. 207-212.

15. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Jarocki-Witek, V., Vernon S.K., Conley, A.J., Davis, and Hung, P.P. (1988). Distinctive Properties of Hepatitis B envelope proteins expressed by Recombinant Adenoviruses. J. Virol. 62: 407-416.

16. Hung, P.P., Morin, J.E., Lubeck, M.D., Barton, J.E., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Mason, B.B., Dheer, S.K., Jarocki-Witek, V., Kostek, B., Zandle, G., Conley, A., and Davis, A.R. (1988) Expression of HBV Surface Antigen or HIV Envelope Protein Using Recombinant Adenovirus Vectors. Nat. Immunity Cell Growth Regul. 7:135-143.

17. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Lubeck, M.D., Haigwood, N.L., Najarian, R., Moore, G.K., Jarocki-Witek, V., Morin, J.E., Chengalvala, M., Stauffer, B., Mason, B.B., Bhat, B.M., Mizutani, S., Conley, A.J., Davis, A.R. and Hung, P.P. (1989). Characterization and utilization of the E3 regions of Ad4 and Ad7 for development of live recombinant adenovirus vaccine for hepatitis B virus. In: Approaches to Modern Vaccines. (Eds. F.Brown, R.M.Chanock, H.S.Ginsberg and R.A.Lerner). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories., Cold Spring Harbor, NY. pp. 383-388.

18. Lubeck, M.D., Davis, A.R., Chengalvala, M., Natuck, R., Morin, J.E., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Mason, B.B., Mizutani, S., Hung, P.P. and Purcell, R.H. (l989). Immunogenecity and Efficacy Testing in Chimpanzees of an Oral Hepatitis B virus Vaccine Based Upon Live Recombinant Adenovirus. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 86: 6763-6767.

19. Chanda, P.K., Natuk, R.J., Mason, B.B., Bhat, B.M., Greenberg, L., Dheer, S. K., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Mizutani, S., Davis, A.R., Lubeck, M.D. and Hung, P.P. (1990). High Level expression of the envelope glycoproteins of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) using Recombinant Adenovirus vectors. Virology 175: 535-547.

20. Mason, B.B., Davis, A.R., Bhat, B., Zandle, G., Kostek, B., Choldofsky, S., Dheer, S., Chengalvala, M., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Mizutani, S., and Hung, P.P. (l990). Analysis of the Role of the First Intervening Sequence of the Adenovirus Tripartite Leader in the Expression of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Using Helper Independent Adenovirus Type 4 and Adenovirus Type 7 Recombinants. Virology 176: 452-461.

21. Morin, J.E., Lubeck, M.D., Mason, B.B., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Dheer, S.K., Bhat, B.M., Chanda, P.K., Natuk, R.J., Chengalvala, M., Mizutani, S., Davis, A.R. and P.P. Hung. (1990). In: The Molecular Approach to New and Improved Vaccines. (Eds. G.C.Woodrow and M. Levine). Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York. pp.448-457.

22. Chengalvala, M., Lubeck, M.D., Davis, A.R., Mizutani, S., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Morin, J. and Hung, P.P. (1991). Evaluation of adenovirus type 4 and 7 recombinant Hepatitis B vaccines in dogs. Vaccine 9: 485-490.

Inflammation and Regulation of TNF alpha and IL-1 Beta Production

Some compounds affect the immune system, by changing TNF alpha and IL-1ß production.

You’re probably very aware of biological response modifiers that block TNF alpha activity because they are often prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis patients, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis patients. They’re called Enbrel, Remicade, and Humira.

Although I did not work on the development of these biological response modifiers, I studied the effect of other drugs, namely phosphodiesterase type IV inhibitors on TNF alpha and IL-1 beta production. Three PDE IV compounds are currently approved for treatment of skin and lung diseases: apremilast, crisborole, and roflumilast. These articles describe our studies on PDE IV inhibitors.

23. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Yonno, L., Heaslip, R.J. and Weichman, B.M. (1992). Differential Regulation of TNF alpha and IL-1 beta production from endotoxin stimulated monocytes by phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Mediators of Inflammation 1: 411-417.

24. Heaslip, R.J., Sturm R.J., Molnar-Kimber, K.L. and Weichman, B.M. (1992). The potential role of isozyme-selective phosphodiesterase inhibitors in the treatment of asthma and other inflammatory disorders. In: Proceedings of the 10th Immunopharmacology Symposium of Japan, "New Possibilities of anti-asthma and anti-allergic agents".

25. Lewis, A.J., Glaser, K.B., Sturm, R.J., Molnar-Kimber, K.L. and Bansbach, C.C. (1992) Strategies for the development of new antiarthritic agents. Int. J. Immunopharmacol. 14: 497-504.

26. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Yonno, L., Heaslip, R.J. and Weichman, B.M. (1993). Modulation of TNFalpha and IL-1 beta from endotoxin-stimulated monocytes by selective PDE isozyme inhibitors. Agents and Actions 39: C77-79.

Rapamycin (sirolimus) is currently used for blocking rejection of kidney graft rejection. Its Effector Protein is now called mTOR. 

I contributed to rapamycin’s development in these science journal articles and other studies described in several patents. In collaboration, we identified the effector protein of rapamycin which was a hotly pursued target. The effector protein is now called the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR).

27. Chen, Y., Zhou, P., Berova, N., Zhang, H., Nakanishi, K., Failli, A., Steffan, R., Molnar-Kimber, K.L. and Caggiano, T.J. (1994). Circular Dichroic Studies on the Binding of rapamycin and analogs to FKBP: Application of Second Derivative Spectroscopy. J Amer Chem Soc 116: 2683-2684.

28.* Chen, Y., Chen, H., Rhoad, A.E. Warner, L., Caggiano, T., Failli, A., Zhang, H., Hsiao, C.L., Nakanishi, K. and *Molnar-Kimber, K. L.* (1994). A Putative Sirolimus (Rapamycin) Effector Protein. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 203: 1-7.

29. Sehgal, S.N., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Ocain, T. and Weichman, B. (1994). Rapamycin, a novel immunosuppressive macrolide. Med. Res. Rev. 14:1-22.

30. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Rhoad, A., Warner, L., Chen, H., and Sehgal, S.N. (1995) Comparison of effects of sirolimus on cytokine dependent and cytokine independent proliferation. Inflammation Research, 44: S189-190.

31. Chen, Y., Nakanishi, K., Merrill, D., Eng, C. P., Molnar-Kimber, K. L., Failli, A., Caggiano, T. J. (1995) Synthesis and bioactvity of photolabile sirolimus (rapamycin) analogs. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 5:1355-1358.

32. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* and Sehgal, S.N. (1995) Rapamycin (Sirolimus, Rapamune), a novel immunosuppressive agent. Immunopharmaceuticals Ed. Edward Kimball, CRC Press, p. 31-64.

33. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L*. (1996) Mechanism of Action of Rapamycin. Transplantation Proceedings 28: 964-969.

Patent applications on rapamycin:

Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Ocain, T., Vernon, S.K., and Huang, J. Biotin Esters of Rapamycin. US patent # 5,504,091. Issued Apr. 2, 1996.

Caggiano,T, Chen, Y., Failli, A., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Nakanishi, K. Effector Proteins of Rapamycin. U.S. patent #6,313,264B1. Issued Nov. 6, 2001.

Caggiano,T, Chen, Y., Failli, A., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Nakanishi, K. Effector Proteins of Rapamycin. U.S. patent #6,713,607, Mar. 30, 2004.

Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Caufield, C.E., and Failli, A. Rapamycin position 27 conjugates and antibodies. U.S. patent #6,328,970. Issued Dec. 12, 2001.

Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Caufield, C.E., Ocain, T. and Failli, A. Monoclonal antibodies obtained using rapamycin position 27 conjugates as an immunogen. U.S. patent #6,541,612. Issued April 1, 2003.

Viruses that can kill cancer cells and trigger an immune response

While at University of Pennsylvania, my laboratory demonstrated that genetically modified Herpes simplex viruses and adenoviruses can destroy cancers, such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, and thyroid cancer. These scientific articles range from a report on a clinical trial (e.g. #36, #37) to translational research (e.g. #41) to in vitro studies on the mechanisms of specificity for tumor cells (e.g.#43)

34. Kucharczuk, J.C., Randazzo, B., Chang, M.Y., Amin, K.M., Elshami, A.A., Sterman, D.H., Rizk, N. P., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Brown, S. M., MacLean, A.R., Litsky, L.A., Fraser, N. W., Albelda, S.M., and Kaiser, L.R. (1997) Use of a Replication-Restricted, Recombinant Herpes Virus to Treat Localized Human Malignancy. Cancer Research 57, 466-471.

35. Elshami, A.A., Cook, J.W., Amin, K.M., Choi, H., Park, J.Y., Coonrod, L., Sun, J., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Wilson, J.M., Kaiser, L.R., and Albelda, S.M. (1997) The effect of promoter strength in adenoviral vectors containing herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase on cancer gene therapy in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Gene Therapy 4, 213-227.

36. Sterman,D.H., Treat, J., Litzky, L.A., Amin, K.M., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Wilson, J.M., Albelda, S.M. and Kaiser, L.R. (1998) Adenovirus-mediated Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene delivery in patients with localized malignancy: Results of a Phase 1 Clinical Trial for Mesothelioma. Human Gene Therapy 9:1083-1092.

37. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Sterman, D.H., Chang, M, ElBash, M, Elshami, A.E., Gelfand,K., Kang, E, Wilson, J.M., Kaiser, L.R., and Albelda, S.M. (1998) Impact of Pre-Existing and Induced Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in an Adenoviral-based Gene Therapy Phase 1 Clinical Trial for Localized Malignancy (Mesothelioma) Human Gene Therapy 9: 2121-2133.

38. *Coukos, G., Caparrelli, D.J., Makrigiannakis, A., Abbas, A.E., Kaiser, L.R., Rubin, S.C., Albelda, S.M., and *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* (1999) Use of Producer cells to deliver a replication-selective herpes simplex virus-1 mutant for treatment of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research 5:1523-1537.

39. Lambright, E.S., Caparrelli, D.J., Abbas, A.E., Toyoizumi, T., Coukos, G., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., and Kaiser, L.R. (1999). Oncolytic therapy using a mutant type-1 herpes simplex virus and the role of the immune system. Annuals of Thoracic Surgery 68(5):1756-60; discussion 1761-2.

40. *Coukos, G., Rubin, S.C., *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* (1999) Application of Recombinant Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) for the Treatment of Malignancies Outside the Central Nervous System. Gene Therapy and Molecular Biology 3: 79-89.

41. *Toyoizumi, T., Mick, R., Abbas, AE, Kang, EH, Kaiser, LR, *Molnar-Kimber, KL.* 1999. Combined therapy with Chemotherapeutic Agents and Herpes Simpex Type 1 ICP34.5 mutant (HSV-1716) in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Human Gene Therapy 10(18):3013-3029.

42. *Coukos, G., Makrigiannakis, A., Kaiser, L.R., Rubin, S.C., Albelda, S.M., and *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* (2000) Treatment of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer with Multi-attenuated Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Mutant, G207. Cancer Gene Therapy 7: 275-283.

43. *Coukos, G., Makrigiannakis, A., Kang, E. H., Rubin, S.C., Albelda, S.M., and *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* (2000) Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus-1 lacking ICP34.5 Induces p53 Independent Cell Death and is Efficacious against Chemotherapy Resistant Ovarian Cancer. Clin. Cancer Res. 6:3342-53.

44. *Lambright, E.S., Kang, E.H., Force, S., Lanuti, M., Caparrelli, D.J., Kaiser, L.R., Albelda, S.M., and *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* (2000). Effect of Pre-existing anti-herpes immunity on the efficacy of herpes simplex viral therapy in a murine intraperitoneal tumor model. Mol. Therapy 2:387-393.

45. Zhou, T., Guo, J-T, Nunes, F., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Wilson, J.M., Aldrich, C.E., Saputelli, J., Litwin, S., Condreay, L.D., Seeger, C., and Mason, W.S. (2000). Combination therapy with lamivudine and adenovirus causes transient suppression of chronic woodchuck hepatitis B virus infections. J. Virol. 74:11754-63.

46. Abdul-Ghani, R., Ohana, P., Matouk, I., Ayesh, S., Ayesh, B., Laster, M., Bibi, O., Giladi, H., Molnar-Kimber, K., A. Sughayer, M. A., de Groot, and Hochberg, A. (2000). The use of Transcriptional Regulatory Sequences of Telomerase (hTER and hTERT) for the Selective Killing of Cancer Cells. Mol. Therapy. 2:539-544.

47. Sterman, D.H., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Iyengar, T., Chang, M., Lanuti, M., Amin, K.M., Pierce, B., Kang, E. H., Treat, J., Recio, A., Litzky, L.A., Wilson, J.M., Kaiser, L.R. and Albelda, S.M. (2000). A controlled trial of systemic corticosteroid administration in conjunction with intrapleural adenoviral administration in patients with malignant mesothelioma. Cancer Gene therapy 7:1511-18.

48. Banet, G., Bibi, O., Matouk, I., Laster, M., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Tykocinski, M.L., deGroot, N., Hochberg, A., Ohana, P. (2001). Characterization of human and mouse H19 regulatory sequences. Mol. Biol. Reports 27(3):157-65.

49. Blank, S.V., Rubin, S.C., Coukos, G., Amin, K.M., Albelda, S.M. and *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* (2002) Replication-selective herpes simplex virus-1 mutant therapy of human cervical cancer is enhanced by low dose radiation. Human Gene Therapy 13:627-639.

50. Tsukuda, K., Wiewrodt, R., Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Jovanovic, V., Amin, K.M. (2002). The characterization of a replication competent adenovirus targeting the critical cell cycle regulator E2F-A Gene Product. Cancer Research, 62:3438-47.

51. Kesmodel S, Prabakaran I, Canter R, Menon C, Molnar-Kimber K, Fraker D. (2005) Virus-mediated oncolysis of thyroid cancer by a replication-selective adenovirus driven by a thyroglobulin promoter-enhancer region. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 90:3440-8.

Patent application on HSV mutants:

Molnar-Kimber, K.L., Kaiser, L.R., Toyoizumi, T., Combined therapy with chemotherapeutic agents and an oncolytic virus for killing tumor cells in a subject. U.S. patent #6,428,968. Issued August 6, 2002.

Autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, gout, primary biliary cirrhosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, fibromyalgia, type I diabetes, ankylosing spondylitis, and more.

52. *Molnar-Kimber, KL*, Buttram, HE. (2008) Patient Report: Evidence that Intravenous Administration of Glutathione and Vitamin C Relieved Acute Pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare. Townsend Letter for Physicians and Patients. Nov. (305): 60-61.

53. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* and Kimber, C.T. (2011) Each Type of Cause that Initiates Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA Flares Differentially Affects Response to Therapy. Medical Hypotheses, 78:123-129. (doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2011.10.006). [Author's copy is free on this website.]

54. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L. (2012) Effects of Smoking on Immunologic and Skeletal Mechanisms Involved in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Responses of Various Biologic Therapies for RA. J Clinical Cell Immunol 2012 S6.

 Articles on Medical Writing: 
Tips for Writing Manuscripts

These two peer-reviewed articles provide insights for writing manuscripts, designing figures, and navigating the peer-review process.

55.* Kimber, O. Cromley, J.C., and *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* (2018) Let Your Ideas Flow: Using flow charts to convey methods and implications of the results in laboratory exercises, articles, posters, and slide presentations. J. Microbiol. Biol. Educ. Mar 2018, 19(1): doi:10.1128/jmbe.v19i1.1477  Note special issue on science communication.

56. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.* and Halford C. (2019) Art of Writing Effective Response Letters to Editors and Peer Reviewers. AMWA J. V34(3):125-130, 143.

57. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Drake, T, Bass, B., Cooper, N. (2020) 16 tips for nurturing clients into long-term relationships. AMWA J. 35(4):186-189.

58. *Molnar-Kimber, K.L.*, Bass, B., Drake, T., and Cooper, N. (2021) 3 exercises to identify ideal clients you can nurture into long-term relationships. AMWA J. 36(2):86-89.

How may I help you? I would be happy to discuss your project(s) that need prompt writing and consulting services.