Heather Wakelee

Dr. Heather Wakelee is a Professor in the Department of Medicine - Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine. She serves as the Deputy Director of the Stanford Cancer Institute and Division Chief of Medical Oncology. Dr. Wakelee completed all her post-graduate training at Stanford University and joined the faculty in 2003, establishing herself as a leading expert in thoracic malignancies.

Dr. Wakelee earned her M.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1996 and completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Stanford University. She is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Medical Oncology and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha honor society during medical school.

Dr. Wakelee specializes in the treatment of lung cancer, thymoma, and mesothelioma. Her research program focuses on clinical trials with agents specifically targeted to known mutations in lung cancer such as EGFR and ALK, with particular emphasis on resistance mechanisms. She has conducted significant work on anti-angiogenesis agents and is actively involved in trials utilizing immune modulatory agents, particularly PD-(L)1 checkpoint inhibitors, including bringing them to patients with earlier stages of disease with the goal of improving cure rates. Her work with Max Diehn on circulating tumor DNA is leading toward potential improvements in surveillance and early detection of NSCLC.

Dr. Wakelee's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on thymic malignancies, immunotherapy approaches, and targeted therapies for lung cancer. Her work spans clinical trials, genomic profiling, and investigations into health disparities, particularly in never-smoker lung cancer among Asian American women. She has been instrumental in major clinical trials like IMpower010 and has contributed significantly to understanding treatment approaches for challenging cases like leptomeningeal disease and brain metastases.

• MERIT Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology (05/2003)
• Alpha Omega Alpha, Johns Hopkins University (06/1996)
• Teaching Award, Stanford University Division of Oncology (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
• Young Investigator Award, ECOG-ACRIN (2015)

As Principal Investigator on numerous clinical trials, Dr. Wakelee has secured substantial research funding for lung cancer and thymoma research. She plays leadership roles in national and international organizations including the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), where she served on the board of directors from 2015-2019 and was elected President in 2021. She is also an active member of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG-ACRIN), contributing to trial design and patient recruitment. Dr. Wakelee collaborates extensively with colleagues across disciplines including thoracic surgery, radiation oncology, pulmonary medicine, basic science, and population sciences.

Dr. Wakelee has developed two clinical trials specifically for thymic malignancies, an understudied rare disease. Her work bridges clinical practice with translational research, contributing to both immediate patient care improvements and long-term scientific understanding of thoracic cancers.