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Armed with a PhD in biological chemistry from Argentina, Dr. Jorge Filmus moved to Canada in 1983. He first worked as a Post-doctoral fellow at the Ontario Cancer Institute, and then as a Research Scientist at Connaught Laboratories in Toronto. In 1991 he started his own laboratory at the Sunnybrook Research Institute. He is currently a Senior Scientist in this Institute, and a Professor in the Dept. of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto.
One of the main research achievements of Dr. Filmus has been the discovery of a protein called Glypican-3 (GPC3). This protein is produced by liver cancer cells but not by normal liver cells. Consequently, the detection of GPC3 is currently used worldwide for the diagnosis of liver cancer. This diagnostic test has been patented and licensed to an American biotech company. In addition, more than 40 pharmaceutical companies are currently targeting this protein with the goal of developing novel therapies for this very lethal cancer. Dr. Filmus has been acting as a consultant for several of these companies.
Dr. Filmus has received several grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the National Cancer Institute of Canada. He has been invited to present his work at numerous international Meetings, and at many Universities around the world.
Dr. Filmus is a continued supporter of the Hispanic community. For example, from 2009 to 2013, he was on the board of directors of the Canadian Hispanic Congress.
