It was here that Dr. Folkman with David Long first reported the use of silicone rubber implantable polymers for the sustained-release of drugs. It was also in Bethesda that he carried out the experiments of growing tumors in isolated perfused organs, which led to the idea that tumors are angiogenesis-dependent. In 1965, Dr. Folkman joined Harvard s Surgical Service at the Boston City Hospital where he was appointed Instructor in Surgery. Dr. Folkman s discoveries on the mechanism of angiogenesis opened a field of investigation now pursued worldwide. His laboratory reported the first purified angiogenesis molecule, the first angiogenesis inhibitor, proposed the concept of angiogenic disease, and has begun clinical trials based on this research.
Angiogenesis inhibitors are currently in clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe.
Dr. Folkman s exceptional achievements have been recognized by numerous national and international awards. In 1990 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the Institute of Medicine. He holds honorary degrees from five universities. Dr. Folkman is the author of more than 300 peer-reviewed papers as well as many other publications.