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Qingyi Wei, MS, MD, PhD.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor (tenured), Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Adjunct Professor, Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Faculty Member, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

Dr. Wei, MD, PhD, develops and validates a battery of biomarkers for assessing cancer susceptibility with an emphasis on DNA repair and apoptosis as the underlying molecular mechanisms and uses these biomarkers in molecular epidemiological studies aimed at identifying individuals at high risk of developing cancer. Dr. Wei uses the case-control study design to perform biomarker-driven hypothesis testing in molecular epidemiological studies, involving phenotype-genotype correlation, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, and risk assessment modeling. The established assays included phenotype of DNA repair capacity measured the host-cell reactivation (HCR) assay and phenotype of apoptosis measured by the TUNEL assay, using human peripheral lymphocytes. These assays have been and are currently used in studies of cancers of the lung, head and neck cancer, skin, and breast. The biomarker assays used in his lab also include the in-vitro induced DNA adduct assay, the multiplex RT-PCR assay for gene expression and the lysate protein microarray assay for protein expression, in addition to extensive genotyping for genes involved in DNA repair and apoptosis. His research is currently funded by two R01 grants (2 R01 ES111740-07 and 1 R01 CA131274-01).

Office Address

Email: qwei@mdanderson.org

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1993 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, PhD, Epidemiology
1986 Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Beijing, P.R., China, MS, Toxicology
1983 Nanjing Medical College, Nanjing, P.R., China, B. Med./Medical Diploma, Public Health

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Yuan X, Liao Z, Liu Z, Wang LE, Tucker SL, Mao L, Wang XS, Martel M, Komaki R, Cox JD, Milas L, Wei Q. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism at rs1982073:T869C of the TGF{beta}1 Gene Is Associated With the Risk of Radiation Pneumonitis in Patients With Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Definitive Radiotherapy. J Clin Oncol. e-Pub 4/2009. PMID: 19380441.
2. Zhang L, Wei Q, Mao L, Liu W, Mills GB, Coombes K. Serial dilution curve: a new method for analysis of reverse phase protein array data. Bioinformatics 25(5). e-Pub 1/2009. PMCID: PMC2647837.
3. Chen K, Zhao H, Hu Z, Wang LE, Zhang W, Sturgis EM, Wei Q. CASP3 polymorphisms and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Clin Cancer Res 14(19):6343-9, 10/2008. PMCID: PMC2570541.
4. Wang LE, Xiong P, Zhao H, Spitz MR, Sturgis EM, Wei Q. Chromosome instability and risk of squamous cell carcinomas of head and neck. Cancer Res 68(11):4479-85, 6/1/2008. PMID: 18519711.
5. Li C, Zhao H, Hu Z, Liu Z, Wang LE, Gershenwald JE, Prieto VG, Lee JE, Duvic M, Grimm EA, Wei Q. Genetic variants and haplotypes of the caspase-8 and caspase-10 genes contribute to susceptibility to cutaneous melanoma. Hum Mutat, 6/18/2008. PMID: 18563783.
6. Li C, Chen K, Liu Z, Wang LE, Gershenwald JE, Lee JE, Prieto VG, Duvic M, Grimm EA, Wei Q. Polymorphisms of TP53 Arg72Pro, but not p73 G4C14>A4TA4 and p21 Ser31Arg, contribute to risk of cutaneous melanoma. J Invest Dermatol 128(6):1585-8, 6/2008. PMID: 18049450.
7. Li D, Wang LE, Chang P, El-Naggar AK, Sturgis EM, Wei Q. In vitro benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-induced DNA adducts and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck. Cancer Res 67(12):5628-34, 6/15/2007. PMID: 17575128.
8. Fan YH, Hu Z, Li C, Wang LE, Guo Z, Qiao Y, Zhang L, Zhang W, Mao L, Wei Q. In vitro expression levels of cell-cycle checkpoint proteins are associated with cellular DNA repair capacity in peripheral blood lymphocytes: a multivariate analysis. J Proteome Res 6(4):1560-1567, 2007. e-Pub 3/2007. PMCID: PMC2579792.
9. Wang L, Wei Q, Wang LE, Aldape KD, Cao Y, Okcu MF, Hess KR, El-Zein R, Gilbert MR, Woo SY, Prabhu SS, Fuller GN, Bondy ML. Survival prediction in patients with glioblastoma multiforme by human telomerase genetic variation. J Clin Oncol 24(10):1627-1632, 2006. PMID: 16575014.
10. Wang LE, Xiong P, Strom SS, Goldberg LH, Lee JE, Ross MI, Mansfield PF, Gershenwald JE, Prieto VG, Cormier JN, Duvic M, Clayman GL, Weber RS, Lippman SM, Amos CI, Spitz MR, Wei Q. In vitro sensitivity to ultraviolet B light and skin cancer risk: a case-control analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst 97(24):1822-1831, 2005. PMID: 16368944.
11. Li G, Wang LE, Chamberlain RM, Amos CI, Spitz MR, Wei Q. p73 G4C14-to-A4T14 polymorphism and risk of lung cancer. Cancer Res 64:6863-6866, 2004. PMID: 15466174.
12. Wang LE, Bondy ML, Shen H, El-Zein R, Aldape K, Cao Y, Pudavalli V, Levin VA, Yung WK, Wei Q. Polymorphisms of DNA repair genes and risk of glioma. Cancer Res 64(16):5560-5563, 2004. PMID: 15313891.
13. Wei Q, Lee JE, Gershenwald JE, Ross MI, Mansfield PF, Strom SS, Wang LE, Guo Z, Qiao Y, Amos CI, Spitz MR, Duvic M. Repair of UV light-induced DNA damage and risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 95(4):308-315, 2003. PMID: 12591987.
14. Bondy ML, Wang LE, El-Zein R, de Andrade M, Selvan MS, Bruner JM, Levin VA, Alfred Yung WK, Adatto P, Wei Q. Gamma-radiation sensitivity and risk of glioma. J Natl Cancer Inst 93:1553-1557, 2001. PMID: 11604478.
15. Wei Q, Cheng L, Amos CI, Wang LE, Guo Z, Hong WK, Spitz MR. Repair of tobacco carcinogen-induced DNA adducts and lung cancer risk: a molecular epidemiologic study. J Natl Cancer Inst 92:1764-1772, 2000. PMID: 11058619.

Books (edited and written)
1. Wei Q, Li L, Chen D. Ed(s) Q Wei, L Li, D Chen. DNA Repair, Genetic Instability, and Cancer. World Scientific Publishing Co., Pte., Ltd. Singapore, 2007.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Genome Wide Association Study of Head and Neck Cancer
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Sanjay Shete
Duration: 12/1/2009 - 11/30/2013
 
Title: Genotypes and Phenotypes of Apoptosis and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 3/2/2009 - 2/28/2014
 
Title: Molecular Epidemiology of DNA Repair in Head and Neck Cancer
Funding Source: NIH/NIEHS
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 3/1/2008 - 2/28/2013
 
Title: Genetic Predictors of DNA Repair in Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 7/1/2004 - 6/30/2010

Last updated: 7/24/2009