George Chaldakov

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George Chaldakov, MD, PhD

George Nikov Chaldakov (born February 23, 1940, in Burgas, Bulgaria) is a Bulgarian vascular biologist well-known for his contributions in the study of secretory function of vascular smooth muscle cells, and the role of neurotrophins and perivascular adipose tissue in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. He published the first Bulgarian textbook of Cell Biology in 1996 and in 2005 founded the Bulgarian Society for Cell Biology.

In 1966 graduated as MD from Varna Institute of Medicine (since 1991, named Medical University), Varna, Bulgaria.

In 1983 obtained PhD degree in Vascular Biology, "Ultrastructural and cytopharmacological study of aging in vascular smooth muscle cells, with special reference to their secretory function".

In the past 30 years George Chaldakov was involved in an interdisciplinary research in the fields of vascular biology, adipobiology and neurobiology and is one of the pioneers establishing the novel concept of the secretory function/phenotype of the vascular smooth muscle cells and further delineating their role in atherogenesis. In collaboration with Luigi Aloe has been developped a complex tripartite model of atherogenesis in which are involved smooth muscle cells, immune cells, and perivascular adipose tissue communicating through secreted factors (e.g. neurotrophins, adipokines, cytokines).

George Chaldakov is main editor and founder in 1991 of Biomedical Reviews, An International Journal of Cell Biology of Disease and organizer of Biomedical Forum, Annual Program of Continuing Medical Education held at Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria.

[edit] Innovations and substantial contributions to science

Concept of the secretory function/phenotype of the vascular smooth muscle cell, as related to atherogenesis.

Tubulin/microtubule-targeted pharmacology for atherosclerosis.

Concept of the neurotrophins NGF and BDNF as metabotrophic factors (metabotrophins) in cardiometabolic biology/diseases.

Conceptualize the protein secretory products of adipose tissue cells as adipokines, also focusing on perivascular adipose tissue.

Conceptualize studying adipose tissue-directed pharmacology as adipopharmacology.

In 2006 introduced the term Homo obesus and is actively involved in popularizing the need of healthy lifestyle and dietary restriction: millions of people suffer and die from starvation in ill-developped and poor countries while in Western civilization and Europe people get overweight and die as a result of strokes or heart infarctions.

[edit] Literature

Chaldakov GN, Nikolov SD. Ultrastructure of the arterial smooth muscle cell. In: Smooth Muscle of the Artery. Plenum Press, New York, London etc. Adv Exp Med Biol 1975; 57: 14-20.

Chaldakov GN, Nikolov SD, Vankov VN. Fine morphological aspects of the secretory process of arterial smooth muscle cells. II. Role of microtubules. Acat Morphol Acad Sci Hung 1977; 25: 167-174. PubMed

Chaldakov GN, Vankov VN. Morphological aspects of secretion in the arterial smooth muscle cell, with special reference to the Golgi complex and microtubular cytoskeleton. Atherosclerosis 1986; 61: 175-192. PubMed

Chaldakov GN. Antitubulins - a new therapeutic approach for atherosclerosis? Atherocslerosis 1982; 44: 385-390. PubMed

Chaldakov GN, Vankov VN. Antifibrotic approach in the therapy of arterial occlusive diseases: new considerations. In: G. Trubestein, editor. Conservative Therapy of Arterial Occlusive Disease. Stuttgart, New York, Georg Thieme Verlag, 1986, p. 224-226.

Chaldakov GN. Anti-inflammatory drugs and ischemic heart disease: new considerations (a cell biologist's proposal to cardiologists). J Am Coll Cardiol 1991; 17: 1445. PubMed

Chaldakov GN, Fiore M, Hristova M, Aloe L. Metabotrophic potential of neurotrophins: implication in obesity and related diseases? Med Sci Monit 2003; 21: HY19-21. PubMed

Manni L, Nikolova V, Vyagova D, Chaldakov GN, Aloe L. Reduced plasma levels of NGF and BDNF in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Int J Cardiol 2005; 102: 169-171. PubMed

Chaldakov GN, Fiore M, Ghenev PI, Stankulov IS. Aloe L. Atherosclerotic lesions: possible interactive involvement of intima, adventitia and associated adipose tissue. Int Med J 2000; 7: 43-49.

Chaldakov GN, Stankulov IS, Aloe L. Subepicardial adipose tissue in human coronary atherosclerosis: another neglected phenomenon. Atherosclerosis 2001; 154: 237-238. PubMed

Chaldakov GN, Stankulov IS, Fiore M, Ghenev PI, Aloe L. Nerve growth factor levels and mast cell distribution in human coronary atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis 2001; 159: 57-66. PubMed

Chaldakov GN, Stankulov IS, Hristova MG, Ghenev PI. Adipobiology of disease: adipokines and adipokine-targeted pharmacology. Curr Pharm Des 2003; 9: 1023-1031. PubMed

Chaldakov GN, Fiore M, Hristova M, Aloe L. Cell biology and pharmacology of adipose tissue secretion. FABAD J Pharm Sci 2000; 25: 181-191.

Chaldakov GN, Fiore M, Tonchev AB, Aloe L. Adipopharmacology, a novel drug discovery approach: a metabotrophic perspective. Lett Drug Des Discov 2006; 3: 503-505.