Georg Bjarnason

MD, FRCP (C)
Senior scientist, medical oncologist
georg.bjarnason@sunnybrook.ca

Research Assistant:

Cherry Blushi
Phone: 416-480-5847
Email: cherry.blushi@sunnybrook.ca

Dr. Bjarnason has focused his clinical work and research on kidney cancer. He holds the inaugural Anna-Liisa Farquharson Chair in Renal Cell Cancer Research. He is considered one of the leading experts on kidney cancer in Canada and collaborates nationally and internationally on clinical trials and research projects.

Dr. Bjarnason’s basic and translational research focuses on the potential clinical applications of chronobiology in oncology. Most physiological and metabolic processes in the body are ordered in time (circadian rhythm). Therefore, the time of day a drug is delivered may have an impact on how it is handled in the body. Several clinical trials have confirmed that the timing of chemotherapy, and now more recently immunotherapy, can have an impact on the drug’s side effects profile, and in some cases, improve activity. Based on his findings on cell division cycle in oral mucosa, Dr. Bjarnason has shown that the timing of radiotherapy can have an impact on the severity of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer.

The expression of many of the novel molecular targets in oncology varies significantly through the 24-hour day. Dr. Bjarnason is working to define the 24-hour variation of these targets at the gene level and protein level in humans to allow for the design of intelligent clinical trials.

When the sleep-activity rhythm is disturbed in animals and humans, cancer grows faster. Dr. Bjarnason has contributed to this important field of research and has conducted clinical trials aimed at normalizing the circadian rhythm in patients.

Education

  • MD, 1979, University of Iceland
  • 1987, Certification in Internal Medicine, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Canada
  • 1988, Certification in Medical Oncology, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Canada

Appointments & Affiliations

  • Senior Scientist, Biological Sciences Platform, Odette Cancer Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
  • Anna-Liisa Farquharson Chair in Renal Cell Cancer Research, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and University of Toronto
  • Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto,
  • Medical Oncologist, Division of Medical Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre,

Research Foci

  • Kidney cancer biology and therapy
  • Potential clinical applications of chronobiology and chronopharmacology in oncology

Affiliated Labs & Programs

Selected Publications

  1. Cheung P, Patel S, North SA, Sahgal A, Chu W, Soliman H, Ahmad B, Winquist E, Niazi T, Patenaude F, Lim G, Heng DYC, Dubey A, Czaykowski P, Wong RKS, Swaminath A, Morgan SC, Mangat R, Keshavarzi S, Bjarnason GA. Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Oligoprogression in Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer Patients Receiving Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy: A Phase-II Prospective Multicenter Study. Eur Urol. 2021 Jul 30;80(6):693-700. PMID 34399998. Senior Responsible Author.

  2. Bjarnason GA, Knox JJ, Kollmannsberger CK, Soulieres D, Ernst DS, Zalewski P, Canil CM, Winquist E, Hotte SJ, North SA, Heng DYC, Macfarlane RJ, Venner PM, Kapoor A, Hansen AR, Eigl BJ, Czaykowski P, Boyd B, Wang L, Basappa NS. The Efficacy and Safety of Sunitinib Given on an Individualised Schedule as First-line Therapy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Phase-2 Clinical Trial. Eur J Cancer. 2019 Feb;108:69-77. Epub 2019 Jan 14. PMID 30648632. Senior Responsible Author.

  3. Innominato PF, Lim AS, Palesh O, Clemons M, Trudeau M, Eisen A, Wang C, Kiss A, Pritchard KI, Bjarnason GA. The Effect of Melatonin on Sleep and Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer. Support Care Cancer. 2016 Mar;24(3):1097-1105. Epub 2015 Aug 11. PMID 26260726. Senior Responsible Author.

  4. Innominato PF, Focan C, Gorlia T, Moreau T, Garufi C, Waterhouse J, Giacchetti S, Coudert B, Iacobelli S, Genet D, Tampellini M, Chollet P, Lentz MA, Mormont MC, Levi F, Bjarnason GA. Circadian Rhythm in Rest and Activity: A Biological Correlate of Quality of Life and a Predictor of Survival in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. Cancer Research. 2009 Jun;69(11):4700-4707. (Senior and corresponding author on this paper that is based on a large prospective clinical trial). PMID 19470769. Impact Factor 8.234. Senior Responsible Author.

  5. Bjarnason GA, Mackenzie RG, Nabid A, Hodson IF, El-Sayed S, Grimard L, Brundage M, Wright J, Hay J, Ganguly P, Leong C, Wilson J, Jordan RC, Walker M, Tu D, Parulekar W. Comparison of Toxicity Associated with Early Morning Versus Late Afternoon Radiotherapy in Patients with Head-and-neck Cancer: A Prospective Randomized Trial of the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group (HN3). Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2009 Jan;73(1):166-172. Epub 2008 Sep 19. PMID 18805649. Impact Factor 4.812. Senior Responsible Author. Book chapters (not in PubMed):Kollmannsberger C, Bjarnason GA, Ravaud A. Toxicity management of renal cell cancer patients on targeted therapies. In:
Lara PN, Jonasch E, editors. Kidney cancer: principles and practice. New York: Springer Heidelberg Dordrecht; 2012. p. 265–284.

  6. Bjarnason GA, Giacchetti S, Mormont C, Levi F. Aspects cliniques de la chronothérapie du cancer. In: Labrecque G, Sirois-Labrecque M editors. Chronopharmacologie: rythmes biologiques et medicaments. Montreal: Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal; 2002. p. 346–374.

  7. Vyzula R, Bjarnason GA, Hrushesky WJM. Chronopharmacology and avoidance of anticancer drug toxicity. In: Sweetenham JW, Williams CJ, editors. Supportive care of the cancer patient. London: Edward Arnold Publishers; 1996. p. 74–86. Bjarnason GA, Hrushesky WJM. Preclinical trials of cancer chronotherapy. In: Hrushesky WJM, editor. Circadian cancer therapy. Boca Raton: CRC press; 1994. p. 211–239.

  8. Bjarnason GA, Hrushesky WJM. Cancer chronotherapy. In: Hrushesky WJM, editor. Circadian cancer therapy. Boca Raton: CRC press; 1994. p. 241–263.

  9. Hrushesky WJM, Bjarnason GA, Vyzula R. Circadian cancer chronotherapy. In: Cvitkovic E, Droz JP, Armand JP, Khoury S, editors. Handbook of chemotherapy in clinical oncology. Jersey: Scientific Communication International Ltd.; 1993. p. 109–119.