Hereditary Genetics: Current Research

Wafik El-Deiry S

Wafik El-Deiry S
Professor, Department of Hematology, Penn State Hershey Medical Center
USA

Biography

Wafik S. El-Deiry, M.D. Ph.D. is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Medicine at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine, and is the Rose Dunlap Division Chair in Hematology/Oncology and Associate Director for Translational Research at Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute. Dr. El-Deiry’s research has been unraveling cell death pathways involved in tumor suppression and mechanisms that determine cancer therapeutic responses.  His group discovered the TRAIL death receptor that is a target for cancer therapy in clinical trials. He is also internationally recognized for discoveries of how the tumor suppressor gene p53 inhibits cancer cell growth and for unraveling several cancer drug resistance mechanisms.  He has developed strategies for live animal imaging and drug screening approaches. At Penn State Dr. El-Deiry’s research is focusing on new therapies for resistant cancers as well as new ways of monitoring cancer treatment, including monitoring circulating tumor cells and genetic factors that determine success of therapy. Prior to joining Penn State, Dr. El-Deiry was a Professor of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology), Genetics & Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, co-Director of the Radiobiology & Imaging Program at the Abramson Cancer Center and Associate Director for Physician-Scientist training in Hematology/Oncology. He earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Miami School of Medicine in 1987 and completed Internal Medicine residency and Clinical Oncology fellowship training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center from 1987-1994. He joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in 1994 and as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator from 1995-2004. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 1999 and to Professor with tenure in 2005. 

Research Interest

Dr. El-Deiry enjoys teaching, clinical work in the area of solid tumor oncology, serving on peer review panels, scientific editorial boards (including as Founding Editor-in-Chief of Cancer Biology and Therapy since 2001) and training future scientists and clinicians.