Wei Wang

Professor Wei Wang is a faculty member in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Arizona's College of Pharmacy. His research focuses on advancing drug discovery through innovative organic and medicinal chemistry approaches, with particular emphasis on anticancer agents, senolytic therapies, and bioorthogonal chemistry. He is affiliated with the Skaggs Pharmaceutical Sciences Center and leads projects in drug design, photocatalytic reactions, and targeted drug delivery systems.

Dr. Wang holds a PhD in Chemistry from North Carolina State University (2000), an MS in Organic Chemistry from Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (1993), and a BS in Chemistry from Nanjing Normal University (1988). His postdoctoral training was conducted at the University of Arizona (2000).

His research interests span:

• Design of novel anticancer agents via photoredox catalysis
• Development of senolytic prodrugs targeting cellular senescence
• Creation of bioorthogonal probes for in vivo imaging and drug delivery
• Development of deuterated compounds for metabolic stability
• Exploration of photocatalytic systems for energy applications

Recent work highlights include discovering selenium-based anticancer agents, developing galacto-modified PROTACs for cancer therapy, and creating fluorescent probes for formaldehyde detection. His research integrates organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and nanotechnology to address unmet clinical needs in oncology and aging-related diseases.

Dr. Wang’s lab collaborates extensively with other departments at the UA Health Sciences and the Phoenix Biomedical Campus. His work is supported by grants focused on drug discovery platforms and translational research initiatives.