معرفی
Dr. R. Daniel Bonfil serves as Professor and Chair of the Division of Pathology at Nova Southeastern University's Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, where he joined in 2017 after a 15-year tenure at Wayne State University School of Medicine. At NSU, he actively teaches across multiple health science programs including MD, Osteopathic Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Optometry curricula, demonstrating his commitment to interdisciplinary medical education.
Dr. Bonfil earned his Licentiate (equivalent to combined B.Sc. and M.Sc. in the United States) and Ph.D. from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, followed by post-doctoral training at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Prior to his U.S. appointments, he served as a Tenured Research Investigator at Argentina's National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET), directing research groups at the National Academy of Medicine and Center for Pharmacological Studies (CEFYBO).
A leading expert in Cancer Biology, Dr. Bonfil's research focuses on elucidating mechanisms of cancer invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis, with particular emphasis on bone metastasis in prostate and breast cancers. His pioneering work on 'concomitant antitumor resistance' laid foundations for anti-angiogenic cancer therapies including Avastin. Current research examines receptor tyrosine kinases like c-kit and discoidin domain receptors (DDRs) in tumor microenvironment interactions, with recent publications exploring DDR1's role in prostate cancer aggressiveness and liquid biopsy applications.
Analysis of Dr. Bonfil's publication record reveals a consistent trajectory from fundamental molecular mechanisms to translational applications, with increasing focus on prostate cancer biology, circulating tumor cells, and novel therapeutic targets. His work bridges laboratory discoveries with clinical relevance, particularly in understanding how cancer cells interact with bone tissue during metastasis.
Dr. Bonfil serves on the Editorial Board of three medical journals and as Editor of the Section Oncologic Pathology for Current Oncology, reflecting his standing in the scientific community. He has contributed as a reviewer for numerous health sciences journals and served on Department of Defense (DOD) Study Sections evaluating cancer research proposals.
Throughout his career, Dr. Bonfil has directed numerous Ph.D. theses and mentored postdoctoral, master's, and undergraduate students. His research has been substantially funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Defense (DoD) grants, supporting an active laboratory investigating prostate cancer bone metastasis mechanisms for over 15 years at Wayne State University before continuing this work at NSU.
Dr. Bonfil's laboratory maintains a strong focus on tumor microenvironment interactions, particularly examining how matrix metalloproteinases and receptor tyrosine kinases facilitate cancer progression in bone. Current research directions include liquid biopsy approaches for prostate cancer interrogation and further exploration of DDR signaling pathways as potential therapeutic targets, demonstrating his commitment to advancing both basic science understanding and clinical applications in cancer metastasis.
