Group leader,
Molecular Hematology
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Padriciano 99
34149 Trieste, Italy
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +39-040-3757212
Education
Faculty of Medicine, University of St. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, Macedonia, MD, 1986
Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands, PhD., 1994
Faculty of Medicine, Univ. St. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, Macedonia, Specialist in Internal Medicine-Hematology, 1999
Career History
Since 2015, Staff Scientist and Head of the ICGEB Molecular Hematology Group, ICGEB Trieste, Italy
2004-2015, Staff Scientist and Head of the ICGEB Molecular Hematology Group at the Monterotondo Outstation, Rome, Italy
2001-2006, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Skopje, Macedonia
1998-2001, Assistant Professor, Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Skopje, Macedonia
1996-1998, Assistant Research Scientist, ICGEB, Trieste, Italy
1994-1996, Junior Scientist, ICGEB, Trieste, Italy
1993, International Research Fellow, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga, USA
1989-1992, Resident, Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Skopje, Macedonia
1988-1989, Research Associate, Research Center for New Technologies, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, Macedonia
1987, International Research Fellow, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga, USA.
Scientific Activity
Dr. Efremov’s primary research interest is chronic lymphocytic leukemia, particularly investigation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the development and progression of the disease and development of novel targeted therapies. He has also made numerous contributions in other areas related to hematological and immunological disorders, including B-cell lymphoma, hemoglobinopathies, autoimmune blood disorders, allergy and bone marrow transplantation. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 articles in peer-reviewed international journals. He has received grants from various prestigious international and national funding bodies, including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Italian Association for Cancer Research. He is a member of the editorial boards of Haematologica, the American Journal of Blood Research, the Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, EMJ Hematology and several other international scientific journals.
Other Activities
2015,Elected external member of Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
2013, Received Italian national habilitation for Associate Professor of Hematology
2010, Elected Associate Professor of Molecular Biology, University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia
2000-2002, Member of National Committee for Registration of Pharmaceuticals in the Republic of Macedonia
1999-2002, Consultant physician for the European Union Delegation in Macedonia
Selected publications
Martines C, Chakraborty S, Vujovikj M, Gobessi S, Vaisitti T, Deaglio S, Laurenti L, Dimovski AJ, Efremov DG. Macrophage- and BCR- but not TLR-derived signals support the growth of CLL and Richter Syndrome murine models in vivo. Blood. 2022 Sep 9:blood.2022016272. doi: 10.1182/blood.2022016272. Online ahead of print.
Chakraborty S, Martines C, Porro F, Fortunati I, Bonato A, Dimishkovska M, Piazza S, Yadav BS, Innocenti I, Fazio R, Vaisitti T, Deaglio S, Zamò A, Dimovski AJ, Laurenti L, Efremov DG. B Cell Receptor signaling and genetic lesions in TP53 and CDKN2A/CDKN2B cooperate in Richter Transformation. Blood, 2021. 138(12):1053-1066.
Sasi BK, Martines C, Xerxa E, Porro F, Kalkan H, Fazio R, Turkalj S, Bojnik E, Pyrzynska B, Stachura J, Zerrouqi A, Bobrowicz M, Winiarska M, Priebe V, Bertoni F, Mansouri L, Rosenquist R, Efremov DG. Inhibition of SYK or BTK augments venetoclax sensitivity in SHP1-negative/BCL-2-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Leukemia, 2019. 33:2416-2428
Bojarczuk K, Sasi BK, Gobessi S, Innocenti I, Pozzato G, Laurenti L, Efremov DG. BCR signaling inhibitors differ in their ability to overcome Mcl-1-mediated resistance of CLL B cells to ABT-199. Blood, 2016. 127(25):3192-3201.
Iacovelli S, Hug E, Bennardo S, Duehren-von Minden M, Gobessi S, Rinaldi A, Suljagic M, Bilbao D, Bolasco G, Eckl-Dorna J, Niederberger V, Autore F, Sica S, Laurenti L, Wang H, Cornall RJ, Clarke SH, Croce CM, Bertoni F, Jumaa H, Efremov DG. Two types of BCR interactions are positively selected during leukemia development in the Eμ-TCL1 transgenic mouse model of CLL. Blood,2015. 125(10):1578-1588.
Negro R, Gobessi S, Longo PG, He Y, Zhang ZY, Laurenti L, Efremov DG. Overexpression of the autoimmunity-associated phosphatase PTPN22 promotes survival of antigen-stimulated chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells by selectively activating the AKT pathway. Blood, 2012. 119(26):6278-87 PubMed Link
Suljagic M, Longo PG, Bennardo S, Perlas E, Leone G, Laurenti L, Efremov DG. The Syk inhibitor fostamatinib disodium (R788) inhibits tumor growth in the E{micro}-TCL1 transgenic mouse model of CLL by blocking antigen-dependent B cell receptor signaling. Blood, 2010. 116:4894-905.
Gobessi, S., Laurenti, L., Longo, P.G., Carsetti, L., Berno, V., Sica, S., Leone, G., and Efremov, D.G. Inhibition of constitutive and BCR-induced Syk activation downregulates Mcl-1 and induces apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia B-cells. Leukemia,2009. 23:686-97.
Longo P, Laurenti L, Gobessi S, Sica S, Leone G, Efremov DG. The Akt/Mcl-1 pathway plays a prominent role in mediating antiapoptotic signals downstream of the B-cell receptor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells. Blood, 2008. 111:846-55.
Gobessi S, Laurenti L, Longo PG, Sica S, Leone G, Efremov DG. ZAP-70 enhances B-cell receptor signaling despite absent or inefficient tyrosine kinase activation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma B-cells. Blood, 2007. 109:2032-9.
Longo P, Laurenti L, Gobessi S, Petlickovski A, Pelosi M, Chiusolo P, Sica S, Leone G, Efremov DG. The Akt signaling pathway determines the different proliferative capacity of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B-cells from patients with progressive and stable disease. Leukemia, 2007. 21:110-120.
Petlickovski A, Laurenti L, Li X, Marietti S, Chiusolo P, Sica S, Leone G, Efremov DG. Sustained signaling through the B-cell receptor induces Mcl-1 and promotes survival of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B-cells. Blood, 2005. 105:4820-7.