Karlis Pleiko

Karlis Pleiko is a Research Fellow in Nanomedicine at the University of Tartu, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine. His current appointment spans from 2024 through 2025 with varying percentages of full-time equivalent (0.10 to 1.00), reflecting both part-time and full-time research commitments at the institution. Prior to his position at Tartu, he held research roles at the University of Latvia from 2016 to 2023.

Dr. Pleiko earned his Doctor's Degree in 2023 from the University of Latvia with the dissertation "APTAMERS TARGETING CARCINOMA CELL SURFACE RECEPTORS" under Professor Una Riekstina. He previously completed his Master's Degree in 2017 from the same institution with the thesis "Use of cell SELEX method for selection of clear cell renal carcinoma-specific aptamers and characterization of selected aptamers." He had also commenced PhD studies at the University of Tartu under Tambet Teesalu and Maarja Haugas on cancer targeting ligands, though these studies were interrupted.

Dr. Pleiko's research focuses on developing targeted cancer therapies through nanomedicine and molecular biology approaches. His work centers on aptamer development for cancer targeting, in vivo peptide identification, and nanoparticle delivery systems. He investigates molecular recognition mechanisms to improve tumor-specific drug delivery while minimizing off-target effects. His research spans multiple cancer types including breast cancer, renal carcinoma, and glioblastoma, exploring how molecular tools can enhance precision medicine approaches for difficult-to-treat cancers.

Dr. Pleiko's publication record demonstrates a clear progression from fundamental molecular recognition studies to applied nanomedicine approaches for cancer treatment. His recent work (2022-2024) focuses on protease-activated peptides and integrin-binding aptamers for breast cancer, showing increasing sophistication in addressing the challenge of tissue-specific targeting. His research bridges molecular biology, nanotechnology, and clinical oncology to develop solutions that improve therapeutic precision while reducing systemic toxicity.

Dr. Pleiko is currently involved in two significant research projects: "Programmable Bionanomaterials with Protein-Controlled Behavior" (2025-2028, €257,600 funded by the European Commission) and "Precision targeting of infiltrative glioblastoma" (2023-2027, €810,000 funded by the Estonian Research Council). Both projects are led by Tambet Teesalu, with Dr. Pleiko contributing his expertise in molecular targeting and nanomedicine. While specific advising roles aren't detailed in the available information, his publication record shows extensive collaboration with researchers across multiple institutions.

Working within the Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine at the University of Tartu, Dr. Pleiko contributes to cancer nanomedicine research through teams focused on targeted drug delivery and molecular recognition. His work integrates approaches from molecular biology, nanotechnology, and cancer therapeutics to develop precision medicine solutions. His current research emphasizes protein-controlled bionanomaterials and precision targeting of difficult-to-treat cancers like glioblastoma, with potential applications spanning both diagnostics and therapeutics.