Title
Mast Cell Expert
Company
Tufts University
Bio
Dr. Theoharides is Professor of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, as well as Director of Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery, in the Department of Immunology at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. He was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, and graduated with Honors from Anatolia College. He received all his degrees with Honors from Yale University, and was awarded the Dean’s Research Award and the Winternitz Price in Pathology. He trained in internal medicine at New England Medical Center, which awarded him the Oliver Smith Award “recognizing excellence, compassion and service.”
He first showed that mast cells, known for causing allergic reactions, are critical for inflammation, especially in the brain, and are involved in a number of inflammatory conditions that worsen by stress such as allergies, asthma, eczema, psoriasis, migraines, multiple sclerosis and most recently autism spectrum disorder. He has also shown that corticotropinreleasing hormone (CRH), neurotensin and substance P, peptides secreted under stress, act together, and with the cytokine IL-33, to trigger mast cells and microglia to secrete inflammatory molecules. These processes are inhibited by the novel flavonoids, luteolin and tetramethoxyluteolin that he has helped formulate in unique dietary supplements and a skin lotion.
Listen to a podcast with Dr. Theoharides explaining what mast cells are and how they affect pain, brain fog, fatigue, allergies, anaphylaxis and even autism.
He also received a Certificate in Global Leadership from the Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He has been serving as the Clinical Pharmacologist of the Massachusetts Drug Formulary Commission continuously since 1986. In Greece, he served on the Supreme Advisory Health Councils of the Ministries of Health and of Social Welfare, as well as on the Board of Directors of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Technology. He Chaired an International Committee appointed by the Hellenic Ministries of Education and Health for the establishment of an independent medical school in Greece, and he is a member of the International Advisory Committee for the University of Cyprus School of Medicine. He is a member of 15 academies and scientific societies.
He was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society and the Rare Diseases Hall of Fame. He has received the Tufts Excellence in Teaching ten times, the Tufts Distinguished Faculty Recognition Award twice, the Tufts Alumni Award for Faculty Excellence, Boston Mayor’s Community Award, and the Dr. George Papanicolau Award, as well as Honorary Doctor of Medicine from Athens University, Honorary Doctor of Sciences from HellenicAmerican University., and the 2018 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award (Marquis Who is Who) and the 2018 Albert Nelson Marquis Distinguished Humanitarian Award. He is “Archon” of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
He has published over 410 scientific papers (JBC, JACI, JPET, NEJM, Nature, PNAS, Science) and 3 textbooks with 30,274 citations (h-factor 86) and he is in the top 5% of authors most cited in pharmacological and immunological journals. He has received 37 patents and trademarks, including three patents covering the use of luteolin in brain inflammation and autism: US 8,268,365 (09/18/12); US 9,050,275 (06/09/15); US 9,176,146 (11/03/15). He is also the President of Theta Biomedical Consulting and Development Co., Inc., of BiomedAdvice, LLC, of Algonot, LLC and of the nonprofit Brain-Gain.org
Lecture:
Inflammation and Mast Cells
Friday, November 13, 2020
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
Saturday, November 14, 2020