Dennis Wigle

Dr. Dennis Wigle, M.D., Ph.D., is a thoracic surgeon and Professor of Surgery at Mayo Clinic's Rochester, Minnesota campus. He conducts translational research on thoracic malignancies, including lung and esophageal cancer, leveraging genomic, stem cell, and regenerative medicine technologies. His lab collaborates with commercial partners and has contributed to FDA investigational new drug applications.

Education

• BSc in Biology, University of Waterloo
• MSc in Anatomy and Cell Biology, Queen's University
• PhD in Anatomy and Cell Biology, Queen's University
• MD, University of Toronto
• Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Molecular and Medical Genetics, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute

Research Focus

Dr. Wigle's work spans three key areas: (1) Genomic alterations in lung adenocarcinoma progression, (2) Immune-based therapeutics such as CAR-T cell therapy and plant-derived monoclonal antibodies, and (3) Regenerative organ replacement for esophageal and lung cancers, notably the first-in-human mesenchymal stem cell-seeded esophageal graft in 2020.

Scientific Awards

• CHEST Foundation/LUNGevity Foundation Clinical Research Award (2010)
• NIH K12 Career Development Award (2009)
• Mayo Clinic Early Career Development Award for Clinician Scientists (2008)
• Mayo Clinic Research Committee Awards (2006)
• F. Griffith Pearson Award for Teaching (2005)

His clinical trials focus on advancing surgical oncology and regenerative therapies, with recent work highlighting innovations in minimally invasive procedures and longitudinal patient monitoring.