Wei Zhang

Wei Zhang, PhD is Professor of Cancer Biology and Professor of Biostatistics and Data Science (Public Health Sciences) at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He directs the Wei Zhang Lab, where his team conducts pioneering research in cancer genomics, precision oncology, and systems biology, with a special focus on glioma and other solid tumors.

Education:

• BS, 1985
• MS, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1990
• PhD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1992

Research interests span genomic profiling, discovery of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (e.g., MIIP), miRNA regulatory networks, and mathematical modeling of gene-regulatory systems using Probabilistic Boolean Networks and MIRACLE algorithms. His group integrates wet-lab cancer biology with advanced bioinformatics to identify actionable biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Recent publications (2011–2018) reveal a consistent emphasis on integrative analyses of large cancer genomics datasets (notably TCGA), uncovering germline and somatic drivers of tumorigenesis, elucidating miRNA-mediated control of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and DNA-damage response, and translating these findings into predictive markers for chemotherapy response and patient survival.

Scientific contributions include:

• Discovery and functional characterization of the tumor suppressor gene MIIP
• Identification of miR-506 as a key EMT-inhibitory miRNA in ovarian cancer
• Demonstration of BRCA2 mutation impact on ovarian cancer prognosis
• Elucidation of POLE mutation and PD-L1 co-occurrence in lung adenocarcinoma

Dr. Zhang is actively involved in graduate education through the Cancer Biology PhD Program and Biomedical Engineering PhD Program, mentoring trainees at the intersection of cancer biology, genomics, and computational science. His laboratory is supported by the National Foundation for Cancer Research Center for Cancer Systems Informatics and multiple NIH and foundation grants.

The Wei Zhang Lab is located within the Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center ecosystem, providing access to cutting-edge genomics cores, bioinformatics resources, and collaborative clinical networks.