 Date of Birth: March 30, 1953.
Place of Birth: Iraklion/Crete, Greece.
Marital Status: Married, Anastasia Siskou.
Children: Two, Evan and Chrysante.
Current Position: Professor and Director, Division of Experimental Radiation
Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Kimmel Cancer Center, Jefferson Medical
College, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Educational Background: B.Sc., 1975, Physics, University of Athens, Greece; Ph.D.,
1978, Biophysics, University of Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
Pre-doctoral Positions: Ph.D. with Prof. Dr. W. Pohlit; "Action of ionizing
radiation on mammalian cells."
Post-doctoral Positions: Institute of Biophysics of the University of
Frankfurt/Main, Germany and Institute for Environmental and Radiation Protection (GSF),
Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 1978-1983.
Special Fellowships & Honors: Prize of the National Institute of Scholarships,
Greece, for priority (No. 14 in the country) achieved in the examinations for admission in
the University, 1970; Fellowship of the Institute for Environmental and Radiation
Protection 1975-1976; Fellowship from the German Service for Academic Exchange (DAAD),
1976-1978; Winner: 20th Radiation Research Award.
Work Experience: Project Scientist, Radiobiology Laboratory, Division of Research,
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 1983-1985; Associate Professor, Division of
Radiation Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College,
Philadelphia, PA, 1985-1989; Professor, Division of Radiation Biology, Department of
Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, 1989-present; Associate
Division Director, Division of Radiation Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology,
Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, 1991-1998; Director, Division of Experimental
Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College,
Philadelphia, PA, 1998-present.
Society Memberships and Offices: Radiation Research Society (RRS); Member of the
Constitution and Bylaws Committee of RRS; Counselor at large of RRS, 1993-1996; Member,
Committee for the Development of a Strategic Plan for RRS; President: Philadelphia Cancer
Research Association; Associate Editor of Radiation Research, International Journal of
Radiation Biology and Radiation and Environmental Biophysics; North American Hyperthermia
Society; European Society for Radiation Biology; American Association for Cancer Research;
European Society of Radiation Oncology; American Society for the Advancement of Sciences;
Sigma Xi.
Current Interests: Mechanisms of DNA double strand break repair in cells of higher
eukaryotes; Mechanisms of checkpoint response in higher eukaryotes; Effects of heat shock
on DNA double strand break repair and checkpoint response; Mechanisms of taxane-radiation
interactions.
Goals for the Society: I see great opportunities for the Society in the new
millennium. Research in cellular responses to DNA damage, an exclusive niche of our
members only a few years ago, is now a main stream area of investigation with very high
visibility and direct impact on the field of cancer. It is a vindication of our past
efforts. The more general interest for research traditionally carried out by our members
has at the same time increased competition and challenges our leadership role. Maintaining
a leadership position at this time of great expansion in the field is an opportunity and a
major challenge. To be successful we need to take advantage of our unique strengths: the
multidisciplinary nature of the society, the quality of our members and the impact of our
research efforts. Determined actions are also required to secure our vitality in the
future. It will be important to strengthen our Society by attracting members from related
areas of biology, chemistry and physics. It will be essential to play an active role in
recruiting and training the next generation of scientists, and it will be vital to secure
funding for our research efforts by focused and active lobbying. As other disciplines
discover radiation and free radical research, our Society has the unique opportunity to
act as a bridge and share the wealth of information that we have accumulated. While the
contributions of our Biologists are well recognized by the greater Biology community,
those of our Physicists and Chemists remain an untapped resource. As a complete
understanding of the cellular responses to DNA damage is not possible without knowledge of
physical aspects of energy deposition and their immediate consequences to the DNA,
bringing Radiation Physics and Chemistry into the limelight should be a key goal. First
steps into this direction can be made by highly focused meetings, e.g. on DNA double
strand breaks, that will cover physics and chemistry of induction, cellular repair
mechanisms, checkpoint responses and long term consequences. The inclusion in our ranks of
Radiation Oncologists offers opportunities to translate our findings to the clinic for the
benefit of human kind. Fostering of these interactions and facilitating the transfer of
knowledge should be another major goal. Also, observations such as genomic instability,
bystander effects, adaptive response, and low-dose radiosensitivity describe phenomena
requiring expansion in our thinking of radiation action on living cells and raising
important questions regarding the protection of humans from ionizing radiation. To make
these phenomena widely known and contribute to their mechanistic explanation is an
important task and a major challenge. This can be accomplished in part by keeping the
Annual Meeting scientifically strong, by embracing the contributions of chemists and
physicists as well as biologists and physicians, and by welcoming other research
disciplines. Finally, the society needs to increase its exposure to the public, to enhance
its interactions with related scientific societies such as AACR and ASTRO, and to promote
and strengthen our journal, Radiation Research. There is work to be done, but the future
is bright. It is an honor to be nominated, and, if given the opportunity I will make every
effort to accomplish these goals.
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