Wei-Zen Wei, Ph.D., founding co-Chair of the Immunology Focus Group, member of the Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Research Program, and renowned faculty member at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University School of Medicine, has been honored with the appointment to the rank of Distinguished Service Professor. Dr. Wei, who is also the Herrick Endowed Chair of Cancer Research, is recognized for her extraordinary service outside her discipline and outside WSU that brought great honor and recognition to the university.
Dr. Wei began her career in 1983 when she joined Karmanos, then the Michigan Cancer Foundation, and the School of Medicine. For over four decades, she has dedicated her research to advancing the understanding and treatment of breast cancer. A landmark achievement from her laboratory was the development of the world’s first DNA vaccine that prevented or controlled HER2-positive cancer in experimental models and clinical trials. She also established a powerful platform to uncover genes important in cancer progression and immunity. She collaborates with investigators around the world to advance cancer immunotherapy and prevention.
Beyond her groundbreaking research, Dr. Wei has been instrumental in guiding national efforts to support the most important breakthroughs in cancer research through her service and chairmanship on numerous grant review committees. She has mentored emerging leaders, including many women and minority scientists in her own lab and through her service on advisory committees in multiple institutions, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Association of Immunologists (AAI). She just completed her term as the president of the Translational Research Cancer Centers Consortium (TRCCC), an alliance of 13 leading cancer centers in the Northeast and Midwest U.S. and Canada, including Karmanos. She has been pivotal in fostering critical collaborations and partnerships between academia, government, industry, private sectors, philanthropy and patient advocates. She also co-established the Wayne State University, Karmanos Cancer Institute and Henry Ford Health Immunology Focus Group, a dynamic and successful initiative that promotes leading-edge immunology research, education, and collaboration among investigators within and beyond metro Detroit.
Dr. Wei’s dedication extends to public health advocacy and education in our communities and beyond. She led WSU and Karmanos’ participation in numerous events for patient advocacy, education, and fundraising. She was featured by WNIC radio in a special episode called “Remarkable Woman,” in Hope magazine, and X-ology, to name a few.
The Distinguished Service Professorship is a rare honor at Wayne State University. Dr. Wei is one of only five WSU faculty members to receive this recognition this year, underscoring the profound impact of her contributions.
Originally published here.