Benjamin Bonavida, PhD

Dr. Bonavida’s primary research interests have focused on the underlying molecular, genetic and biochemical mechanisms that are involved in the development of cancer cells resistance to chemo-immuno therapeutic cytotoxic drugs and various means to reverse the resistance. He has identified a new dysregulated signaling loop, the NF-kB/Snail/YY1/RKIP/PTEN circuit, that regulates oncogenesis, metastasis and resistance in many human cancers. Dr. Bonavida has investigated the roles each of the gene products in the loop, among others, for their mechanisms in the regulation of resistance and, hence, targeting these gene products (via inhibitors or activators) to reverse resistance. He has emphasized the studies on the roles of the tumor promoter Yin Yang 1 (YY1) and the tumor suppressor Raf Kinase Inhibitor Protein (RKIP) in preclinical investigations in vitro and animal models. In addition, he has focused on the role of nitric oxide (NO) donors as sensitizing agents in the inhibition of malignancy and the reversal of resistance. These investigations are relevant to the challenges experienced presently of current cancer therapeutics.

Lee S, Wottrich S, Bonavida B. Crosstalks between Raf-kinase inhibitor protein and cancer stem cell transcription factors (Oct4, KLF4, Sox2, Nanog). Tumour Biol. 2017 Apr;39(4):1010428317692253. doi: 10.1177/1010428317692253.

Bonavida B, Chouaib S. Resistance to anticancer immunity in cancer patients: potential strategies to reverse resistance. Ann Oncol. 2017 Mar 1;28(3):457-467. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdw615.

Bonavida B. Nitric oxide donors sensitize resistant cancer cells to apoptosis induced by chemotherapy: molecular mechanisms of sensitization. Nitric oxide (donor/induced) in chemosensitization, Vol 1. 15-28, 2017.

Kaufhold S, Garban H, Bonavida B. Yin Yang 1 is associated with cancer stem cell transcription factors (SOX2, OCT4, BMI1) and clinical implication. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2016 May 25;35:84. doi: 10.1186/s13046-016-0359-2.

Bonavida B. RKIP-mediated chemo-immunosensitization of resistant cancer cells via disruption of the NF-KappaB/Snail/YY1/RKIP resistance-driver loop. Crit Rev Oncog. 2014;19(6):431-45.

Cancer Sensitizing Agents for Chemotherapy Series- (2017-present) 20 VOLUMES Published

Breaking Tolerance To Cell-mediated Immunotherapy ( 2018-present)- 6 Volumes Published

Breaking Tolerance to Antibody-mediated Immunotherapy ( 2019-present). 4 VOLUMESPUBLISHED