CSI Dr. Octavian Bucur

MD, PhD trained in Molecular and Computational Pathology, Molecular Oncology, Biomedical Technology Development. MD from Carol Davila University, Bucharest; PhD in Biochemistry/Biology from Romanian Academy with work and training performed at Harvard Medical School/BIDMC.

Over a decade of training and research at Harvard Medical School: Postdoctoral Fellow at BIDMC and Harvard Medical School, Instructor in Pathology (Faculty), Harvard Medical School (2017-2018); Associate Member, Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard (2014-2015), Associate Member of the Ludwig Cancer Center at Harvard University, Boston, MA (2016-2018), affiliated with Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard on Genomics, Boston, MA (2016-2018).

Dr. Octavian Bucur has made impactful contributions in several research fields, being one of the main developers of Expansion Pathology (Nature Biotechnology 2017 shared first author (in the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric), Nature Protocols 2020; 3 patents) together with Prof. Edward Boyden (MIT), Prof. Andrew Beck (Harvard, now PathAI) and Prof. Yongxin Zhao (MIT, now Carnegie Mellon University). This method extends the current resolution limit (250 nm) of the optical microscopes to <70 nm, enabling visualization of smaller nanoscopic structures with inexpensive optical microscopy in preserved tissue specimens, after physical tissue expansion. Expansion-related technologies have tremendous implications in several biomedical fields, including diagnostic pathology, spatial genomics, neuroscience and molecular medicine.

Dr. Octavian Bucur was a collaborator in Prof. George Church laboratory at the Wyss Institute at Harvard, working on the development of the Fluorescence in Situ Sequencing (FISSEQ) spatial genomics technology, which has impactful applications in genomics, genetics and other medical fields.

Among the honors and awards received over the years are: Recognition of Outstanding Achievement in Translational and Basic Science Research from the Harvard Medical School Pathology Department; ranked 1st out of >100 – Best Scientific Presentation Award (2017, Harvard Medical School Pathology Retreat of MGH, BIDMC, BWH, DFCI, Children’s Hospital Boston); The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-Millennium Pharmaceuticals Award (2015, Philadelphia, PA; <10% of the applicants), IUBMB Travel Fellowship (2010, Melbourne, Australia), The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-Aflac Award (2008, San Diego, CA; <10% of the applicants); Lady Tata Memorial Trust International Award for Leukemia Research (2007, London, UK); European Union – Leonardo da Vinci Research Award (2004, Magdeburg, Germany); Invited Keynote Speaker/Special Lectures (conferences in San Francisco, Chicago, London (UK), Bucharest  (Romania), BIDMC, Harvard Medical School – Boston, Wayne State University – Detroit, Carol Davila University, Romania); Chair of the Scientific Selection Committee for the RALI’s Grand Rounds competition, Research Assistant Learning Initiative, Boston (2017-2018); Invited Judge for many undergraduate/graduate research competitions; International grant evaluator.

Dr. Octavian Bucur is the Romanian Representative at the European +1 Million Genomes Initiative (nominated by the Romanian Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization) and the Honorary Scientific Advisor of the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy’s Rector. 

Dr. Octavian Bucur is a also a Co-Founder, was the first CEO (successfully leading the company to its first investments) of a company in Boston, MA. He gained invaluable expertise in bringing an idea from bench to market (idea –> articles and patents –> startup –> first investments).