Alana L. Welm

Alana L. Welm, PhD, is a Full Professor in the Department of Oncological Sciences at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, and a Senior Director of Basic Science at the Huntsman Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is also an Investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

• PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine (2003-2007)
• Postdoctoral Training, University of California, San Francisco (2007-2013)

Her research focuses on breast cancer metastasis, precision oncology, and immunotherapy development, particularly the role of the Ron kinase pathway in tumor-macrophage interactions. She pioneered patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and organoid models for functional precision medicine and preclinical drug testing.

Recent publications highlight her work on immunotherapy targets, AI-driven treatment selection, and multi-institutional PDX data repositories. Her lab’s discoveries in Ron kinase inhibition and immune-humanized models have advanced metastasis research and therapeutic strategies.

Scientific Awards

• U.S. Patent #9,907,791 for Ron inhibitors in bone loss prevention
• Huntsman Cancer Institute Award for Breast Cancer Research

Dr. Welm’s lab integrates translational research with collaborations across the NCI PDXNet Consortium, EurOPDX, and patient advocacy groups. Her team includes postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research scientists working on metastasis mechanisms and novel drug combinations.