René Bernards

René Bernards in 2005
(in vitro we trust)

René Bernards (born 4 January 1953) is a Dutch cancer researcher. He is professor of molecular carcinogenesis at Utrecht University and head of the section of molecular carcinogenesis at the Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoekziekenuis. Bernards is a winner of the 2005 Spinoza Prize.

Career

Bernards was born in Bussum on 4 January 1953.[1] He studied medical biology at the University of Amsterdam. Bernards subsequently obtained his PhD from Leiden University in 1984 under A.J. van der Eb with a thesis titled: Transformation and oncogenicity by human adenoviruses.[1][2] He then moved to the United States and was a post doc under Robert Weinberg at the Whitehead Institute.[3]

From 1988 to 1992 Bernards was an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. He returned to the Netherlands in 1992 and became head of the section of molecular carcinogenesis at the Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoekziekenuis. Bernards was named part-time professor of molecular carcinogenesis at Utrecht University in 1994.[1][2]

In 2003 he was co-founder of the biotechnology company Agendia, where he works as Chief Scientific Officer.[2][4]

Research

Bernards is known for his work on a personal, DNA-based, approach to cancer treatment. He has proposed more research in "escape routes" which tumors use, which prevent effective use of medication.[5] He has helped in developing a test to predict the likelihood of recurrent metastatic breast cancer in patients, and the need for medical procedures, such as chemotherpy after surgery.[6]

Honors and distinctions

Bernards was elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization in 1995.[7] Bernards was a winner of the Spinoza Prize in 2005.[8] The awarding organisation, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, specified his "groundbreaking work in the molecular biology and diagnostics of cancer".[2] Bernards was elected a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2007.[9]

In 2012 Bernards won the Koningin Wilhelmina Onderzoeksprijs by the Dutch Cancer Society, earning a 2 million euro subsidy.[5] In 2013 he was named as recipient of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences Academy Professor Prize, together with Wil Roebroeks.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Prof.dr. R. Bernards (1953 - )" (in Dutch). Utrecht University. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Prof. R. (René) Bernards". Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Prof. Dr. R. Bernards" (in Dutch). UMC Utrecht. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "Prof Dr. René Bernards". Agendia. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Prof. dr. René Bernards" (in Dutch). Dutch Cancer Society. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  6. 1 2 "René Bernards and Wil Roebroeks to receive Academy's lifetime achievement award". Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "René Bernards". European Molecular Biology Organization. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  8. ↑ "NWO Spinoza Prize 2005". Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "René Bernards". Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016.
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