CV Science

Andreas Bikfalvi MD PhD Cell and Molecular Biology

Course and current status

                                                  Curriculum Vitae

Andreas Bikfalvi MD PhD

Citizenship: French-German

Professional Address: Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory,

INSERM U 1029, University Bordeaux, Pessac, France

Education

Medical Degree (MD) 1983 : University of Ouest Brittany (Brest, France)

Philosophical Degree (PhD) 1989 : University Paris VII “ Habilitation à diriger la Recherche ” (HDR) 1994, University Paris XII

Professional Experience

Resident 1983-1986 : Haematology-Oncology, University Kiel, Germany (Pr. H. Loeffler) Germany

PhD training and research 1986-1989 : Unit INSERM 150 (Pr JP Caen), Paris (Director : Pr. G. Tobelem)

Post-doctoral fellow 1989-1991 : INSERM Unit 118, Paris (Director : Dr Yves Courtois)

Post-doctoral fellow 1991-1995 : New York University Medical Centre, Department of Cell Biology, Pr. D.B. Rifkin's Laboratory

1995 : Researcher at CNRS unit 12 18 (Director: Pr.D.Barritault)

Since September 1995 : Professor (full Professor, tenure) in Cell and Molecular Biology, University Bordeaux I, Head of the Growth Factor and Cell Differentiation Laboratory (until 2010: Molecular Angiogenesis Laboratory, INSERM U920, now: Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory INSERM U 1029)

Since 2001 : first class full Professor (“Professeur première classe”) upon decision of the National Board of the French Universities (“Commission Nationale Universitaire”, CNU).

2006-2011 : "Contrat Interface" with INSERM

Since sept: 2010: Exceptional class full Professor (“Professeur de classe exceptionnelle”)

Since 2011: Senior member of the Institut Universitaire de France

Languages: German, French English, trilingual

Research Interest: Angiogenesis, growth factor biology, vascular biology

Societies, Honors

Member of the scientific committee of the European School of Haematology (ESH) 2006- 2010. Member of the scientific committee of the European School of Haematology (ESH) 2010-2013. Associated Editor BMC Cancer and BMC Research Notes since 2008. Member of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), of the scientific advisory board of the French anti-Cancer Ligue (“ Ligue contre le Cancer 1986 – 2000”), of the scientific advisory boards of the French Cancer Research Association (“ARC, since 1999, last board: CN3 from 2005-2009) and of the scientific advisory board of the French anti-Cancer Ligue of the Charente-Maritime Region (2000-2008).

-President of the French Angiogenesis Network (1997-2008)

-Cancer Research Award from the French Cancer Ligue (“Prix Deneboude”, 2001)

-2004 Award from the National Academy of Medecine (“Laureat de l’Académie Nationale de Médecine, Paris 2004”): Book award for “ An Encyclopedic Reference in Vascular Biology and Pathology”

-Outstanding pharmaceutical paper award, Control Release Society, 2005

-Henry and Marie Jeanne Mitjavile Award (Cancer Research Award) 2010 from the “Académie Nationale de Medicine”

Editorial tasks and duties

Associated Editor BMC Cancer and BMC Research Notes; Member of the editorial Board and reviewer for ANGIOGENESIS; Reviewer for many Journals (Nature Reviews Cancer, The Journal of Cell Biology, etc...); Expert for angiogenesis therapeutic strategies at Schering AG (Berlin, Germany) 1997-2002; Grant reviews for many international funding bodies (Cancer Research UK, Fonds National Suisse, Italian Association for Cancer Research etc..) Expert for evaluation (“Agence National de la Recherche”, ANR) and Austrian Research Agencies; Organisation of  major international meetings such as 8 Euroconferences on angiogenesis, vascular targeting conferences and a Philippe Laudat conference on angiogenesis.

             Evolution of scientific career : from the clinic to the bench and back

I was born in Hungary and raised in Germany and have French and German citizenship. I am a trained M.D., Ph.D. and obtained my Medical Degree at the University of Ouest Brittany (“Bretagne Occidentale”, Brest, Brittany, France) and carried out my residency in Haematology and Oncology with Professor Helmut Loeffler at the Department of internal medicine at the University of Kiel (Germany). I pursued my career with a Ph.D. at INSERM Unit 150 in Paris (Director: Professor Jacques Caen, Ph.D. supervisor: Professor Gérard Tobelem) followed by a first post-doctoral Fellowship in the laboratory of Dr Yves Courtois (INSERM). During my Ph.D. training, I became interested in growth factor and vascular biology. In 1991, I joined, as a post-doctoral fellow, the laboratory of Professor Daniel B. Rifkin at New York University Medical Centre where I tackled the problem of the mechanisms of action of the different molecular forms of Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF-2). I joined, in 1995, the University of Bordeaux I as a Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology. After my arrival, I had set-up a new laboratory related to fundamental mechanisms of angiogenesis, pathology or animal models, which is affiliated since 2001 with INSERM. The INSERM contract has been renewed in 2010 under my direction. I have promoted the angiogenesis field in France and Europe by creating in 1997 the French Angiogenesis Research Network (now “French Angiogenesis Society”) and by initiating in 1999 the international angiogenesis conference series with the European School of Haematology and the European Commission.

Scientific summary

The aim of the current projects is to expand our research activities to study the cross talk between angiogenesis and tumor biology, and in particular invasion and metastasis, and to reinforce the translational aspects of our research programs. While angiogenesis is thought to promote tumor growth though the delivery of oxygen and nutriments to the growing tumor, recent evidence suggests that additional functions may be involved. We are interested in unraveling paracrine effects of angiogenic vessels on primary tumor growth, tumor invasion and metastasis. We are also interested in identifying mechanisms of escape and new therapeutic targets to prevent/treat tumor escape induced after angiogenic blockade or chemotherapy. We have furthermore initiated a systems biology project that is focused on glioma and renal cell carcinoma that relates to the topic above.
Furthermore, today there are no validated tests to routinely monitor angiogenesis in patients. The conventional endpoints used to evaluate anticancer agents, such as response rate, prolongation of time to progression and time to death are inadequate to assess antiangiogenic agents. New surrogate markers of angiogenesis and/or antiangiogenic activity are needed. We are exploring cellular, biochemical and functional markers of angiogenesis in experimental cancer models and in cancer patients.