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. His past studies have contributed substantially to understanding the role of the B cell receptor pathway in the pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and the identification of this pathway as a potential therapeutic target. The main focus of his current research is the role of different genetic lesions and microenvironmental stimuli in driving chronic lymphocytic leukemia progression, transformation and treatment resistance.
Dr. Efremov has authored more than 140 articles in peer-reviewed international journals. His research has been supported by grants from various prestigious international and national funding bodies, including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), the EU and the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC). He regularly presents his research activity at meetings and invited seminars worldwide and has been or is a current member of the editorial boards of several international scientific journals, including Haematologica, Cancers, Frontiers in Oncology, and the Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases.
In recognition of his scientific achievements, in 2015 he was elected as an External Member and in 2022 as a Full Member of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, North Macedonia.
Teaching Activity
Since 2021, Visiting Professor of Internal Medicine/Hematology at Faculty of Medicine, St. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, North Macedonia
2016-2018, External Lecturer (Docente al contratto), “A. Gemelli” Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
2013, Italian national habilitation for Associate Professor of Hematology
Since 2006, Lecturer and Mentor, ICGEB PhD course, Trieste, Italy
2001-2006, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Skopje, Macedonia
1998-2001, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Skopje, Macedonia
Selected publications
Bonato A, Chakraborty S, Bomben R, Canarutto G, Felician G, Martines C, Zucchetto A, Pozzo F, Vujovikj M, Polesel J, Chiarenza A, Del Principe MI, Del Poeta G, D’Arena G, Marasca R, Tafuri A, Laurenti L, Piazza S, Dimovski AJ, Gattei V, Efremov DG. NFKBIE mutations are selected by the tumor microenvironment and contribute to immune escape in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Leukemia. 2024; 38(7):1511-1521.
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; 140(22):2335-2347.
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.