Jan Vilcek
Encyclopedia
Jan T. Vilček M.D., Ph.D. (born June 17, 1933) is a biomedical scientist, educator, inventor and philanthropist. He is currently a professor in the Department of Microbiology at the New York University School of Medicine
and President of The Vilcek Foundation
.
Vilček, a native of Bratislava
, Slovakia
, (formerly Czechoslovakia) received his M.D. degree from Comenius University Medical School, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia in 1957; and his Ph.D. in Virology
from the Institute of Virology, Czechoslovak Academy of Science, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia in 1962. In 1964, Jan Vilček, with his wife Marica, defected from Communist Czechoslovakia during a three-day visit to Vienna. In 1965 the Vilčeks immigrated to the United States, and have since lived in New York City.
and tumor necrosis factor
(TNF). Over the span of his career, he has published over 350 papers in scientific journals. Vilček is an Institute for Scientific Information highly cited researcher in the Immunology category. He is also listed as an inventor on over 40 US patents.
In 1989 Vilček and NYU colleague, Junming Le, created a monoclonal antibody against TNF alpha, a powerful promoter of inflammation. TNF-alpha is involved in the pathogenesis
of numerous autoimmune disease
s. Collaborating with the biotechnology company Centocor
(later acquired by Johnson & Johnson), Vilček and Le helped to develop the biologic drug initially termed cA2, which is now known commercially as infliximab
, or Remicade. Remicade is a potent anti-inflammatory agent used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
, Crohn's disease
, ulcerative colitis
, ankylosing spondylitis
, psoriatic arthritis
, psoriasis
and other inflammatory diseases.
The success of Remicade encouraged the development and regulatory approval of several other anti-TNF agents (TNF inhibitor
), including adalimumab
-Humira, etanercept
-Enbrel and golimumab-Simponi, all of which are being used to treat numerous immune mediated inflammatory diseases
(IMIDs).
in 2000, devoted to increasing public awareness of the contribution of immigrants to professional, academic and artistic life in the United States. The Foundation fulfills its mission through sponsoring cultural programs, awarding the annual Vilček Prizes, and hosting immigrant artists in its gallery space in New York City.
In 2005, Vilček made a donation to NYU valued at over 100 million dollars, for use towards basic research by the faculty and students.http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/12/nyregion/12gift.html
New York University School of Medicine
The New York University School of Medicine is one of the graduate schools of New York University. Founded in 1841 as the University Medical College, the NYU School of Medicine is one of the foremost medical schools in the United States....
and President of The Vilcek Foundation
The Vilcek Foundation
The Vilcek Foundation aims to raise public awareness of the contributions of immigrants to the sciences, arts, and culture in the United States.The Foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia...
.
Vilček, a native of Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, (formerly Czechoslovakia) received his M.D. degree from Comenius University Medical School, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia in 1957; and his Ph.D. in Virology
Virology
Virology is the study of viruses and virus-like agents: their structure, classification and evolution, their ways to infect and exploit cells for virus reproduction, the diseases they cause, the techniques to isolate and culture them, and their use in research and therapy...
from the Institute of Virology, Czechoslovak Academy of Science, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia in 1962. In 1964, Jan Vilček, with his wife Marica, defected from Communist Czechoslovakia during a three-day visit to Vienna. In 1965 the Vilčeks immigrated to the United States, and have since lived in New York City.
Career
In 1965, Vilček joined the faculty of NYU School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Microbiology, and has been a member of the NYU School of Medicine faculty for over 45 years. Vilček devoted his scientific career to studies of soluble mediators (cytokines) that regulate the immune system, including interferonInterferon
Interferons are proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of pathogens—such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites—or tumor cells. They allow communication between cells to trigger the protective defenses of the immune system that eradicate pathogens or tumors.IFNs belong to...
and tumor necrosis factor
Tumor necrosis factor
Tumor necrosis factor is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation and is a member of a group of cytokines that stimulate the acute phase reaction...
(TNF). Over the span of his career, he has published over 350 papers in scientific journals. Vilček is an Institute for Scientific Information highly cited researcher in the Immunology category. He is also listed as an inventor on over 40 US patents.
In 1989 Vilček and NYU colleague, Junming Le, created a monoclonal antibody against TNF alpha, a powerful promoter of inflammation. TNF-alpha is involved in the pathogenesis
Pathogenesis
The pathogenesis of a disease is the mechanism by which the disease is caused. The term can also be used to describe the origin and development of the disease and whether it is acute, chronic or recurrent...
of numerous autoimmune disease
Autoimmune disease
Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells. The immune system mistakes some part of the body as a pathogen and attacks it. This may be restricted to...
s. Collaborating with the biotechnology company Centocor
Centocor
Janssen Biotech, Inc., formerly Centocor Biotech, Inc., is a biotechnology company that was founded in Philadelphia in 1979 with an initial goal of developing new diagnostic assays using monoclonal antibody technology....
(later acquired by Johnson & Johnson), Vilček and Le helped to develop the biologic drug initially termed cA2, which is now known commercially as infliximab
Infliximab
Infliximab is a monoclonal antibody against tumour necrosis factor alpha . It is used to treat autoimmune diseases. Remicade is marketed by Janssen Biotech, Inc...
, or Remicade. Remicade is a potent anti-inflammatory agent used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
, Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease, also known as regional enteritis, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms...
, ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease . Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis, a disease of the colon , that includes characteristic ulcers, or open sores. The main symptom of active disease is usually constant diarrhea mixed with blood, of gradual onset...
, ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis , previously known as Bekhterev's disease, Bekhterev syndrome, and Marie-Strümpell disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton with variable involvement of peripheral joints and nonarticular structures...
, psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation, will develop in up to 30 percent of people who have the chronic skin condition psoriasis...
, psoriasis
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system mistakes the skin cells as a pathogen, and sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. However, psoriasis has been linked to an increased risk of...
and other inflammatory diseases.
The success of Remicade encouraged the development and regulatory approval of several other anti-TNF agents (TNF inhibitor
TNF inhibitor
Tumor necrosis factor promotes the inflammatory response, which in turn causes many of the clinical problems associated with autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease, psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa and refractory asthma. These disorders are...
), including adalimumab
Adalimumab
Adalimumab is the third TNF inhibitor, after infliximab and etanercept, to be approved in the United States. Like infliximab and etanercept, adalimumab binds to TNFα, preventing it from activating TNF receptors; adalimumab was constructed from a fully human monoclonal antibody, while infliximab...
-Humira, etanercept
Etanercept
Etanercept is a drug that treats autoimmune diseases by interfering with the tumor necrosis factor by acting as a TNF inhibitor. Pfizer describes in a SEC filing that the drug is used to treat rheumatoid, juvenile rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis and ankylosing spondylitis...
-Enbrel and golimumab-Simponi, all of which are being used to treat numerous immune mediated inflammatory diseases
Immune mediated inflammatory diseases
An immune-mediated inflammatory disease is any of a group of conditions or diseases that lack a definitive etiology, but which are characterized by common inflammatory pathways leading to inflammation, and which may result from, or be triggered by, a dysregulation of the normal immune response...
(IMIDs).
Philanthropy
With the royalties from the sales of Remicade, Vilček and his wife Marica established the Vilcek FoundationThe Vilcek Foundation
The Vilcek Foundation aims to raise public awareness of the contributions of immigrants to the sciences, arts, and culture in the United States.The Foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia...
in 2000, devoted to increasing public awareness of the contribution of immigrants to professional, academic and artistic life in the United States. The Foundation fulfills its mission through sponsoring cultural programs, awarding the annual Vilček Prizes, and hosting immigrant artists in its gallery space in New York City.
In 2005, Vilček made a donation to NYU valued at over 100 million dollars, for use towards basic research by the faculty and students.http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/12/nyregion/12gift.html
Awards and Honors
- Goodwill Ambassador Award, Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2010
- Garnet Immunoglobulin Award, Czech Immunology Society, 2008
- J. E. Purkinje Honorary Medal, Czech Academy of Sciences, 2008
- William Beaumont Medal, Michigan State Medical Society, 2006
- Honorary Alumnus, NYU School of Medicine, 2006
- Michael S. Modell Humanitarian Award, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, 2005
- Albert Gallatin Medal, New York University, 2005
- Included in ISI Highly Cited among most highly cited authors in Immunology category
- Honorary Membership, International Society for Interferon & Cytokine Research, 2003
- Honorary Lifetime Membership Award of the International Cytokine Society, 2003
- Biotechnology Achievement Award, NYU School of Medicine, 2002
- Distinguished Alumnus Award and Medal, Comenius University, Bratislava, 2001
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1997
- Elliott Osserman Award in Cancer Research, 1996
- Outstanding Investigator Grant, National Cancer Institute, 1991
- Recognition Award, Japanese Inflammation Society, 1989