Department of Pathology

Dalhousie University

Robert Liwski

Professor

liwski
Department of Pathology

Email: robert.liwski@nshealth.ca
Phone: 902-473-1429
Research Topics:
  • Transplantation immunology
  • Ischemia reperfusion injury
  • Optimization of diagnostic testing in transplantation
  • Myeloma genomics

Biography

Dr. Rob Liwski is a Professor of Pathology at Dalhousie University as well as a staff Hematological Pathologist and the Medical Director of the HLA Laboratory at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax. He is also the Medical and Scientific Director of the HLA Laboratory at the Canadian Blood Services Head Office in Ottawa. Dr. Liwski serves as the Chair of the Canadian HLA Laboratory Proficiency Testing Committee and is a consultant to the Brazilian Histocompatibility Association (ABH) Proficiency Testing Committee.

Dr. Liwski has developed several optimized HLA antibody testing methods including the Halifax/Halifaster flow crossmatch protocols and the Rapid Optimized Single Antigen Bead (ROB) assay. He was awarded the Canadian Association of Pathologists Junior Scientist Award for his research investigating the role of activated protein C in prevention of ischemia reperfusion injury and cancer metastasis.

Dr. Liwski has been an active member of the histocompatibility community, contributing articles to the ASHI Quarterly and teaching topics in histocompatibility at several venues including ASHI Annual Meetings and Regional Workshops, the Georgetown University Lecture Series, the American Foundation for Donation and Transplantation (AFDT) Histocompatibility Specialist Course, and the Brazilian Histocompatibility Association (ABH) Workshops.

Within ASHI, Dr. Liwski is or has been a member of the Proficiency Testing Committee (since 2014), Proficiency Testing Executive Committee (since 2016), the Scientific Affairs Committee (2015), the ASHI Annual Meeting Planning Committee (2015) and the ASHI Board of Directors (since 2016).

Education

  • BSc with Honours: Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University (1994)
  • PhD: Transplantation Immunology, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University (1999)
  • MD: Dalhousie University (2003)
  • Hematological Pathology Residency Training Program: Dalhousie University (2006)
  • Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Specialty Hematological Pathology (2006)
  • HLA Director Certification: American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (2012)

Selected Publications

  1. Liwski RS and Gebel HM. 2017. Of cells and microparticles. Assets and liabilities of HLA antibody detection. Transplantation. [Epub ahead of print]
  2. Liwski RS, Greenshields AL, Bray RA, and Gebel HM. 2017. Becoming a chef in the human leukocyte antigen kitchen: interpretation and modification of human leukocyte antigen antibody assays. Curr Opin Organ Transplant. doi: 10.1097/MOT.0000000000000423. [Epub ahead of print]
  3. Liwski RS, Greenshields AL, Murphey C, Bray RA, and Gebel HM. 2017. It’s about time: The development and validation of a rapid optimized single antigen bead (ROB) assay protocol for LABScreen. 2017. Hum Immunol. doi: 10.1016/j.humimm.2017.05.001. [Epub ahead of print]
  4. Sullivan HC, Liwski RS, Bray RA, and Gebel HM. 2017. The road to HLA antibody evaluation: Do not rely on MFI. Am J Transplant. doi: 10.1111/ajt.14229. Epub 2017 Mar 17
  5. Liwski RS, Bray RA, and Gebel HM. 2016. Keep it cool: a novel inhibitor complex exclusion (ICE) protocol for LABScreen that prevents the prozone effect. ASHI Quarterly, 3rd quarter. http://ahint.epubxp.com/i/730350-third-quarter-2016/38
  6. Tinckam K, Liwski R, Pochinco D, Mousseau M, Grattan A, Nickerson P, Campbell P. 2015. cPRA Increases with DQA, DPA and DPB Unacceptable Antigens in the Canadian cPRA Calculator. Am. J. Transplant., 15:3194.
  7. Liwski RS, Bray RA, and Gebel HM. 2015. Development and validation of a rapid optimized flow cytometry crossmatch assay, the Halifax and Halifaster FCXM protocols. ASHI Quarterly, 3rd quarter. http://ahint.epubxp.com/i/574474-third-quarter-2015/18
  8. Gebremeskel S, LeVatte T, Liwski RS, Johnston B, and Bezuhly M.  2014. The reversible P2Y12 inhibitor ticagrelor inhibits metastasis and improves survival in mouse models of cancer. Int. Journal of Cancer, 136:234.
  9. Liwski RS, Bray RA, and Gebel HM. 2014. The development and validation of a rapid optimized single antigen bead (ROB) assay protocol for LABScreen. ASHI Quarterly, 3rd quarter. http://ahint.epubxp.com/i/386374-third-quarter-2014/15
  10. Schaub S, Hönger G, Koller MT, Liwski RS and Amico P. 2014. Determinants of C1q-binding in the single antigen bead assay. Transplantation, 98:387.
  11. Gebel HM, Liwski RS, and Bray RA. 2013. Technical aspects of HLA antibody testing. Curr. Opin. Organ Transplant. 18:455.
  12. Sopel M, Rosin N, Falkenham A, Bezuhly M, Esmon, C, Lee T, Liwski RS, and Legare JF. 2012. Treatment with Activated Protein C (aPC) is Protective During the Development of Myocardial Fibrosis: An Angiotensin II infusion Model in Mice. PLoS One. 7:1371
  13. Bezuhly M., R. Cullen, C.T. Esmon, S. Morris, K. West, B. Johnston, and R. S. Liwski. 2009. Role of activated protein C and its receptor in inhibition of tumor metastasis. Blood 113:3371.
  14. Bezuhly M., S. Morris, R. Juskevicius, R. W. Currie, K. West, and R. S. Liwski. 2009. Activated Protein C Improves Ischemic Flap Survival and Modulates Pro-Angiogenic and Anti-Inflammatory Gene Expression. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 123:502.