Carl-Hendrik Heldin

C.-H. Heldin is since 1986 the Branch Director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Uppsala, Sweden, and since 1992 also professor in Molecular Cell Biology at Uppsala University. He was born in 1952, and obtained a PhD degree in Medical and Physiological Chemistry in 1980 at the University of Uppsala, where he continued to work until 1985 using a position sponsored by the Swedish Cancer Society. The research interest of C.-H. Heldin is related to the mechanisms of signal transduction by growth regulatory factors, as well as their normal function and role in disease. In particular, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a major mitogen for connective tissue cells, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which inhibits the growth of most cell types, are studied. An important goal is to explore the possible clinical utility of signal transduction antagonists. C.-H. Heldin is a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and Academia Europea. He serves or has served on the Scientific Advisory Boards for several companies and academic institutions, including the German Cancer Center, Heidelberg, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried, and European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg. C.-H Heldin is currently on the Board for the Swedish Research Councils, and serves as Senior Editor for Cancer Research and Associate Editor for Molecular Biology of the Cell, Genes to Cells and Growth Factors. C.-H. Heldin has received several scientific awards, including Prix Antoine Lacassagne (1989), K. Fernströms Large Medical Prize (1993) and the Pezcoller-American Association for Cancer Research Award (2002).