Andreas Bikfalvi, Professor Emeritus at the University of Bordeaux, affiliated with BRIC Team 1, recently defended a thesis in philosophy at the Sorbonne He offers us a summary of this in this seminar.

“The complexity of causality in cancer: A scientific and philosophical investigation”

📅 Tuesday, February 24, 2:30 p.m.

🚩 BBS (Bordeaux Biology Health) conference room – 2 rue du Dr Hoffmann Martinot Bordeaux (Carreire site, University of Bordeaux)

or by video conference

Abstract

My work explores the complex nature of causality in cancer biology, particularly within the tumor microenvironment (TME), integrating philosophical perspectives, mathematical modeling, and experimental data. It traces the evolution of cancer theories from cell-based to microenvironment-focused models, highlighting increased complexity in causal interpretation due to tumor heterogeneity. The “Hallmarks of Cancer” framework is discussed as a descriptive tool that lacks causal clarity, prompting the use of multi-scale and formal causal models.

Two main theoretical approaches—Somatic Mutation Theory and Tissue Organization Field Theory—are compared and integrated, with probabilistic models illustrating the variable influence of genetics, cellular environment, and microenvironmental factors. Case studies on diffuse gliomas and clear cell renal carcinoma demonstrate how advanced causal modeling (using DAGs, SEM, and Bayesian approaches) can clarify the interplay among invasion, immunity, metabolism, and genetic mutations. The research also identifies key molecular pathways and therapeutic targets.

Methodologically, the work highlights the challenges of validating complex causal networks and advocates for systematically integrating causal analysis in biomedical research. A holistic, interdisciplinary approach is essential for advancing both fundamental understanding and clinical applications in oncology. Additionally, it is shown how biomedical research can enhance philosophical conceptual analysis and philosophical concepts biomedical research

Biosketch

Born in Hungary and raised in Germany, I hold both French and German citizenships. I graduated in medicine in France and completed my residency in hematology and oncology at the University of Kiel (Germany). I then pursued a PhD in science at INSERM in Paris, where my research focused on the biology of growth factors, particularly FGFs, and their role in regulating the phenotype of endothelial cells.

In 1991, I joined Professor Daniel B. Rifkin’s laboratory in New York, where I studied the mechanisms of action of different molecular forms of FGFs. Upon returning to France in 1995, I joined the CNRS and then the University of Bordeaux as a professor of cell and molecular biology, where I established and led a laboratory dedicated to tumor and vascular biology, affiliated with INSERM as of 2000. My unit became part of the BRIC INSERM center in Bordeaux in 2022 (Team 1 of BRIC) Since 2025, I am an emeritus professor. Alongside my scientific activities, I am also involved in philosophy of science and earned a doctorate in this field from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

 

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