Overcoming Cancers Resistant to HER-2 Antibodies

Dr. Benjamin Bonavida is currently a Distinguished Research Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is affiliated with the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA. His research career, thus far, has focused on investigations in the fields of basic immunochemistry and cancer immunobiology. His research investigations have ranged from the biochemical, molecular, and genetic mechanisms of cell-mediated killing and tumor cell resistance to chemo-immuno cytotoxic drugs. The reversal of tumor cell resistance was investigated by the use of various selected sensitizing agents based on molecular mechanisms of resistance. In these investigations, there was the newly characterized dysregulated NF-kB/ Snail/YY1/RKIP/PTEN loop in many cancers that was reported to regulate cell survival, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and resistance. Emphasis was focused on the roles of the tumor suppressor Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) and the tumor promoter Yin Yang 1 (YY1) and the role of nitric oxide (NO) as a chemo-immuno-sensitizing factor. Many of the aforementioned studies are centered on the clinical challenging features of cancer patients’ failure to respond to both conventional and targeted therapies. Dr. Bonavida has been active in the organization of regular sequential international miniconferences that are highly focused on the roles of YY1, RKIP, and nitric oxide in cancer and their potential therapeutic applications. Several books edited or coedited have been published. In addition, he is the Series Editor of books (over 20) published by Springer/Nature: Resistance to Anti-Cancer Targeted Therapeutics. In addition, he is presently the Series Editor of Three Series published by Elsevier/Academic Press on “Cancer Sensitizing Agents for Chemotherapy, “Sensitizing Agents for Cancer Resistance to Cell Mediated Immunotherapy, and “Breaking Tolerance to Anti-Cancer Antibody Immunotherapy. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis, Editor-in-Chief of Onco Therapeutics, and Associate Editor of “Critical Reviews in Immunology. Dr. Bonavida has published over 500 research publications and reviews in various scientific journals of high impact.