Benjamin E. Bonavida, Ph.D.
CHS
Dr. Benjamin Bonavida, is currently Distinguished Research Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is affiliated with the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecu- lar Genetics, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. 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-κB/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.
- 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, the is the Series Editor of books (over 20) published by Springer/ Nature on “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.
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EDUCATION
1959-1961 University of Paris School of Medicine, France
1962-1964 BA, Deaprtment of Microbiology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA, USA
1964-1968 PhD., Departmetn o Microbiology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA, USA
1969-1971 Postdoctoral Weizmann Fellw, Weizmann Institute , Rehovot, Israel
1971- 1977 Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UCLA School of Medicine, University of Californuia , LosAngeles, Ca, USA
1977-1982 Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UCLA School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, Ca, USA
!982-2011 Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UCLA School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, Ca, USA
2011-current Distnguished Research Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UCLA School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, Ca, USA
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TEACHING ACTIVITIES
IMMUNOBIOLOGY OF CANCER Graduate course taught quarterly ( 3 times/year) ( for > 20 years). Examples below for last three years
M262A Fall 2020 “Combination of anti-angiogenic agents and immune check point inhibitors: synergy achieved in non responding cancers”
M262C Spring 2020 “Tumor Hypoxic Stress and Anti-cancer Immune Response”
M262B Winter 2020 “Potentiation of antitumor immune response by combination of immunotherapy and other targeted agents:Underlying molcular mechanisms”
M262A Fall 2019 “Molecular Regulation of Checkpoint Ligands on Cancer Cells that Inhibit CTL Cytotoxic Activity”
M262C Spring 2019 “Suppression of tumor immunity by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)”
M62B Winter 2019 “Immune Resistance of Tumor Cells Expressing Immuno-Inhibitory Ligands
M 262A Fall 2018 Dysregulation of Tumor Immunity by Tumor Suppressors”
M262C Spring 2018 “Targeting Protein Kinase Pathways in Cancer Potentiates Immunotherapy”
M262B Winter 2018 “Autophagy and Cancer Immunotherapy”
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TEACHING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS (SRP; M199)
Research publications by undergraduate students ( examplesof last three years)
2021
Navasardyan, I & Bonavida, B. YY1 is involved in thre pathogenesis and maliganat propereties of human trriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In YY1 in the control of pathogenesis and drug resistance of cancer : A critical therapeutic target. Edited by B. Bonavida Academic Press, USA. 2021: p149-162
Kosasih, FR & Bonavida, B. YY1-mediated regulation of type 2 diabetes via insulin. In YY1 in the control of pathogenesis and drug resistance of cancer : A critical therapeutic target. Edited by B. Bonavida. Academic Press, USA. 2021: p271-287
Touboul, R & Bonavida, B. YY1 expression and PD-1 regulation in CD8T lymphocytes. In YY1 in the control of pathogenesis and drug resistance of cancer : A critical therapeutic target. Edited by B. Bonavida. Academic Press, USA. 2021: p289-309
Wang, Y & Bonavida, B. The role of YY1 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis: A tale of cytokines, ncRNA, and aberrant fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs). In YY1 in the control of pathogenesis and drug resistance of cancer : A critical therapeutic target. Edited by B. Bonavida. Academic Press, USA. 2021: p311-335
2020
Wang, Y & Bonavida, B. Peitropic activities of RKIP in cancer: Role in survival, EMT, chemo-immuno-resistance , and autophagy. In Prognostic anf therapeutic applications of RKIP in cancer. Editors B. Bonavida and S. Baritaki. Elsevier/Academic Press, USA 2020: p 49-75
Rama, M & Bonavida, B. Identification of regulatory crosstalks between RKIP and BRCA1 tumor suppressors in healthy tissues and cancer ( breast and ovarian): Therapeutic implications. In Prognostic and therapeutic applications of RKIP in cancer. Editors B. Bonavida and S.Baritaki. Elsevier/Academic Press, USA 2020: p176-209
2019
Hays E, Bonavida B. YY1 regulates cancer cell immune resistance by modulating PD-L1 expression.
Drug Resist Updat. 2019 Mar;43:10-28.
Hays E, Bonavida B. Nitric Oxide-Mediated Enhancement and Reversal of Resistance of Anticancer Therapies. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Sep 17;8(9):407
Kosasih FR, Bonavida B . Involvement of Yin Yang 1 (YY1) Expression in T-Cell Subsets Differentiation and Their Functions: Implications in T Cell-Mediated Diseases. Crit Rev Immunol. 2019;39(6):491-510.
Wang Y, Bonavida B. A New Linkage between the Tumor Suppressor RKIP and Autophagy: Targeted Therapeutics. Crit Rev Oncog. 2018;23(5-6):281-305.
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BONAVIDA PUBLICATIONS ( recent examples/ over 450)
Bonavida, B. The role of YY1 in drug resistant cancer: Involvenment of the YY1/PTEN/PP2A/H2Ax/Rad51 axis. In YY1 in the control of pathogenesis and drug resistance of cancer : A critical therapeutic target. Edited by B. Bonavida. Academic Press, USA. 2021 p 225-242
Bonavida B. Sensitizing activities of nitric oxide donors for cancer resistance to anticancer therapeutic drugs. Biochem Pharmacol. 2020 Jun;176:113913.
Vivarelli S, Falzone L, Ligresti G, Candido S, Garozzo A, Magro GG, Bonavida B, Libra M
Role of the Transcription Factor Yin Yang 1 and Its Selectively Identified Target Survivin in High-Grade B-Cells Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas: Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets. .Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Sep 3;21(17):6446.
Bonavida B. Linking Autophagy and the Dysregulated NFκB/ SNAIL/YY1/RKIP/PTEN Loop in Cancer: Therapeutic Implications. Crit Rev Oncog. 2018;23(5-6):307-320
Bonavida B. Therapeutic YY1 Inhibitors in Cancer: ALL in ONE. Crit Rev Oncog. 2017;22(1-2):37-47
Bonavida B, Chouaib S. Resistance to anticancer immunity in cancer patients: potential strategies to reverse resistance. Ann Oncol. 2017 Mar 1;28(3):457-46
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EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES
Scientific Journals
Editor-in-Chief : Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis – Published by Begell
Editor in Chief: Onco-Theraputics – Published buy Begell
Associate Editor: Critical reviews in Immunology – Published by Begell
Editorial Board: Many scientific Journals
Books published by Bonavida
YY1 in the Control of the Pathogenesis and Drug Resistance of Cancer: A Critical Therapeutic Target. Editor : B Bonavida – Elsevier/Academic Press, USA. 2020
Prognostic and therapeutic applications of RKIP in cancer. Editors B. Bonavida and S.Baritaki. Elseveier/Academic Press, USA. 2020
Therapeutic Application of Nitric Oxide in Cancer and Inflammatory Disorders. Editors: Lucia Morbidelli and Benjamin Bonavida. Academic Press, USA. 2019
Nitric Oxide and Cancer: Pathogenesis and Therapy. Edited by B. Bonavida. Springer, USA – 2015
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- BONAVIDA ( SERIES EDITOR?EDITOR)
- Published by Springer/Nature
Title of Series: Resistance to Anti-cancer Targeted Therapies
Volume 1. Molecular Mechanisms of Tumor Cell Resistance to Chemotherapy. Ed. Benjamin Bonavida. 2013.
Volume 2. Resistance to Immunotherapeutic Antibodies in Cancer. Ed. Benjamin Bonavida. 2013.
Volume 3. Resistance to Proteasome Inhibitors in Cancer. Ed. Q. Ping Dou. 2014
Volume 4. Resistance to Targeted ABC Transporter in Cancer. Ed. Thomas Efferth. 2015.
Volume 5. Resistance to Photodynamic Therapy in Cancer. Eds. Valentina Rapozzi, Giulio Jori. 2015.
Volume 6. Resistance to Immunotoxins in Cancer Therapy. Ed. Rama Shanker Verma. 2015.
Volume 7. Resistance of Cancer Cells to CTL-Mediated Immunotherapy. Eds. Benjamin Bonavida & Salem Chouaib. 2015.
Volume 8. Resistance to Aromatase Inhibitors in Breast Cancer. Ed. Alexey Larionov. 2015.
Volume 9. Defects in T Cell Trafficking and Resistance to Cancer Immunotherapy. Ed. Emmanuel Donnadieu. 2016.
Volume 10. Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors. Ed. Daniele Focosi. Ed. 2016.
Volume 11. Resistance to Targeted Therapies Against Adult Brain Cancers. Ed. Amanda Tivnan. Ed. 2017.
Volume 12. TRAIL, Fas Ligand, TNF, and TLR3 in Cancer. Ed. Olivier Micheau. 2017.
Volume 13. Resistance to Targeted Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Ed. Augusto Villanueva. 2017.
Volume 15. Resistance to Anti-Cancer Therapeutics Targeting Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and Downstream Pathways. Eds. Yosef Yarden, Moshe Elkabets. 2018.
Volume 16. Resistance to Targeted Therapies in Breast Cancer. Ed. Jeni Properi. 2017.
Volume 17. Resistance of Targeted Therapies Excluding Antibodies for Lymphomas. Ed. Andrés J. M Ferreri. 2018.
Volume 18. Resistance to Ibritumomab in Lymphoma. Eds. Makoto Honso, Jean-François Chatal. 2018.
Volume 19. Cancer Stem Cell Resistance to Targeted Therapy. Eds. Cristina Maccalli, Matilde Todaro, Soldano Ferrone. 2019.
Volume 20. Current Applications for Overcoming Resistance to Targeted Therapies. Eds. Myron R. Szewczuk, Bessi Qorri, Manpreet Sambi. 2019.
Volume 21. Resistance to Targeted Therapies in Lymphomas. Eds. Ana c. Xavier, Mitchell S. Cairo. 2019.
Volume 22. Resistance to Targeted Therapies in Multiple Myeloma. Eds. Silvia Ling and Steven Trieu. 2021.
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- Published by Elsevier/Academic Press
- Title of Series : Cancer Sensitizing Agents for Chemotherapy Series
Volume 1. Nitric Oxide (Donor/Induced) in Chemosensitization Edited by Benjamin Bonavida, PhD. 2017
Volume 2. Role of Nutraceuticals in Cancer Chemosensitization
Edited by Alok Chandra Bharti and Bharat Bhushan Aggarwal. 2017
Volume 3. Targeting Cell Survival Pathways to Enhance Response to Chemotherapy Edited by Daniel E. Johnson, PhD. 2018
Volume 4. Protein Kinase Inhibitors as Sensitizing Agents for Chemotherapy Edited by Zhe- Sheng Chen and Dong-Hua Yang. 2018
Volume 5. Breaking Tolerance to Pancreatic Cancer Unresponsiveness to Chemotherapy Edited by Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju, PhD, Dsc. 2019
Volume 6. Improving the Therapeutic Ratio in Head and Neck Cancer Edited by Randall J. Kimple, MD, PhD. 2019
Volume 7. Drug Efflux Pumps in Cancer Resistance Pathways: From Molecular Recognition and Characterization to Possible Inhibition Strategies in Chemotherapy
Edited by Alejandro Sosnik, PhD and Reina Bendayan, PharmD. 2019
Volume 8. Drug Resistance in Colorectal Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies Edited by Chi Hin Cho and Tao Hu, PhD. 2019
Volume 9. Novel Therapies in Head and Neck Cancer: Beyond the Horizon
Edited by Maie A. St. John, MD, PhD, FACS and No-Hee Park, DMD, PhD. 2020
Volume 10. pH-Interfering Agents as Chemosensitizers in Cancer Therapy Edited by Claudiu T. Supuran, PhD and Simone Carradori, PhD. 2020
Volume 11. Overcoming Ovarian Cancer Chemoresistance
Edited by Goli Samimi, PhD, MPH and Christina Annunziata, MD, PhD. 2021
Volume 12. Biological Mechanisms and the Advancing Approaches to Overcoming Cancer Drug Resistance Edited by Andrew Freywald, PhD and Franco J. Vizeacoumar, PhD. 2021
Volume 13. Therapeutic Strategies to Overcome ALK Resistance in Cancer Edited by Luc Friboulet, PhD. 2021
Volume 14. New Targeting in The Reversal of Resistant Glioblastomas
Edited by Ali Syed Arbab. 2021
Volume 15 . Glioblastoma Resistance to Chemotherapy
Edited by Tarik F. Massoud and Ramasamy Paulmurugan. 2022
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- Title of Series : Breaking Tolerance To Cell-mediated Immunotherapy
Volume 1. Autophagy in immune response: Impact on cancer immunotherapy Edited by Salem Chouaib. 2020
Volume 2 . Immunotherapy in resistant cancer: From the lab bench work to its clinical perspectives. Edited by Jorge Morales-Montor and Mariana Segovia-Mendoza. 2021
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ORGANIZER ( or co-organizer) OF SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES
“Successes and Challenges of NK Immunotherapy: Breaking Tolerance to Cancer Resistance,” . A conference planned to be held at UCLA on March 20-21st, 2020. Organized by Anahid Jewett and Benjamin Bonavida.
(Postponed due to the Covid pandemic, for 2021).
“ Prognostic and therapeutic applications of RKIP in cancer” . A conference held on May 9-10, 2019, Crete, Greece. Organized by Stavroula Baritaki and Benjamin Bonavida
“Therapeutic application of nitric oxide in cancer and inflammatory disorders”. A conference held on Ocober 4-5, 2018 , Siena, Italy. Organized by Lucia Morbidelli and Benjamin Bonavida