Yunfei Wen, Ph.D
Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Yunfei Wen
Dr. Yunfei Wen is an Associate Professor at the Division of Surgery, Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine. She obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and received her postdoctoral training at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. Her work on discovering the dual function of Survivin in genomic instability and apoptosis was recognized by the American Association for Cancer Research with the Brigid G. Leventhal Scholar Award, and by the Susan G. Komen Foundation with a post-doctoral fellowship. In 2011, Dr. Wen joined the MD Anderson Cancer Center with a specific interest in working in a translational environment focused on women’s cancer. Her research focuses on tumor microenvironment and host responses to novel chemotherapeutic drugs. Dr. Wen’s expertise relies on angiogenesis, immunotherapy, antibody-drug conjugates, and systematic-imaging-guided nanotherapy. By serving as Principle Investigator, Dr. Wen has received multiple awards from sponsors including Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, NCI SPOREs in Ovarian and Uterine Cancer, Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program, Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, etc. Dr. Wen is the recipient of the Investigator Initiator Research Award from the US Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program in 2019 and 2022.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine - Research, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
The overarching goal of my research is to identify new biomarkers for cancer medicine. My current research in ovarian and endometrial cancers are centering around the following areas:
1) Interfering tumor-associated endothelial vasculature with molecularly based nanomedicine;
2) Innovative approaches including antagonist peptide for blocking tumor-promoting hormonal activity;
3) Novel antibody-drug conjugates to target folate receptor alpha mediated cancer metabolism;
4) Systematic imaging guided nanotherapy targeting cancer-associated epithelial and endothelial cells.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2004 | Epply Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA, PHD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
| 1998 | University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, USA, MS, Cell Biology and Biochemistry |
Postgraduate Training
| 2006-2009 | Research Fellowship, Cellular Oncology, Burnham Institute for Medical Research, La Jolla, CA |
| 2004-2005 | Research Fellowship, Burnham Institute for Medical Research, San Diego, CA |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine - Research, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2018 - 2024
Instructor, Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine - Research, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2018
Honors & Awards
| 2018 | Top Five Scoring Abstracts, National Comprehensive Cancer Network |
| 2017 | Pilot study Award, Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research |
| 2014 | Margaret Sherman Bridge Funding Award, Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research |
| 2014 | Sprint for Life Research Award, Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program |
| 2014 | Direct Project Award, Ovarian Cancer SPORE |
| 2013 | Career Development Award, Uterine Cancer SPORE |
| 2013 | Pilot Study Award, Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research |
| 2013 | Amgen Ovarian Cancer Research Scholar, Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation |
| 2011 | Career Development Award, National Cancer Institute Breast Cancer SPORE |
| 2007 | Brigid G. Leventhal Scholar Award in Cancer Research, AACR |
| 2007 | Susan G. Komen for the Cure Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Susan G. Komen for the Cure |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Gharpure KM, Lara OD, Wen Y, Pradeep S, LaFargue C, Ivan C, Rupaimoole R, Hu W, Mangala LS, Wu SY, Nagaraja AS, Baggerly K, Sood AK. ADH1B promotes mesothelial clearance and ovarian cancer infiltration. Oncotarget 9(38):25115-25126, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29861857.
- Noh K1, Mangala LS2, Han HD3, Zhang N4, Pradeep S5, Wu SY6, Ma S6, Mora E7, Rupaimoole R6, Jiang D2, Wen Y6, Shahzad MMK6, Lyons Y6, Cho M8, Hu W6, Nagaraja AS6, Haemmerle M6, Mak CSL6, Chen X6, Gharpure KM6, Deng H4, Xiong W4, Kingsley CV9, Liu J10, Jennings N6, Birrer MJ11, Bouchard RR9, Lopez-Berestein G12, Coleman RL6, An Z4, Sood AK13. Differential Effects of EGFL6 on Tumor versus Wound Angiogenesis. Cell Rep 21(10):2785-2795, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29212026.
- Haemmerle M, Taylor ML, Gutschner T, Pradeep S, Cho MS, Sheng J, Lyons YM, Nagaraja AS, Dood RL, Wen Y, Mangala LS, Hansen JM, Rupaimoole R, Gharpure KM, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Yim SY, Lee JS, Ivan C, Hu W, Lopez-Berestein G, Wong ST, Karlan BY, Levine DA, Liu J, Afshar-Kharghan V, Sood AK. Platelets reduce anoikis and promote metastasis by activating YAP1 signaling. Nat Commun 8(1):310, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28827520.
- Pan Y, Robertson G, Pedersen L, Lim E, Hernandez-Herrera A, Rowat AC, Patil SL, Chan CK, Wen Y, Zhang X, Basu-Roy U, Mansukhani A, Chu A, Sipahimalani P, Bowlby R, Brooks D, Thiessen N, Coarfa C, Ma Y, Moore RA, Schein JE, Mungall AJ, Liu J, Pecot CV, Sood AK, Jones SJ, Marra MA, Gunaratne PH. Correction: miR-509-3p is clinically significant and strongly attenuates cellular migration and multi-cellular spheroids in ovarian cancer. Oncotarget 8(10):17406, 2017. PMID: 28403581.
- Lucrecia KA, Wen Y, Sood AK, Cynthia L. Severe Polyarthritis with Implanted Ovarian Carcinoma Cells in a Mouse. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 249(10):135, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Kendricks AL, Pageon LR, Craig SL, Wen Y, Sood AK, Lockworth CR. Pathology in Practice. J Am Vet Med Assoc 249(10):1149-1151, 2016. PMID: 27823375.
- Pan Y, Robertson G, Pedersen L, Lim E, Hernandez-Herrera A, Rowat AC, Patil SL, Chan CK, Wen Y, Zhang X, Basu-Roy U, Mansukhani A, Chu A, Sipahimalani P, Bowlby R, Brooks D, Thiessen N, Coarfa C, Ma Y, Moore RA, Schein JE, Mungall AJ, Liu J, Pecot CV, Sood AK, Jones SJ, Marra MA, Gunaratne PH. miR-509-3p is clinically significant and strongly attenuates cellular migration and multi-cellular spheroids in ovarian cancer. Oncotarget 7(18):25930-48, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27036018.
- Klionsky DJ, Abdelmohsen K, Abe A, Abedin MJ, Abeliovich H, Acevedo Arozena A, Adachi H, Adams CM, Adams PD, Adeli K, Adhihetty PJ, Adler SG, Agam G, Agarwal R, Aghi MK, Agnello M, Agostinis P, Aguilar PV, Aguirre-Ghiso J, Airoldi EM, Ait-Si-Ali S, Akematsu T, Akporiaye ET, Al-Rubeai M, Albaiceta GM, Albanese C, Albani D, Albert ML, Aldudo J, Algül H, Alirezaei M, Alloza I, Almasan A, Almonte-Beceril M, Alnemri ES, Alonso C, Altan-Bonnet N, Altieri DC, Alvarez S, Alvarez-Erviti L, Alves S, Amadoro G, Amano A, Amantini C, Ambrosio S, Amelio I, Amer AO, Amessou M, Amon A, An Z, Anania FA, Andersen SU, Andley UP, Andreadi CK, Andrieu-Abadie N, Anel A, Ann DK, Anoopkumar-Dukie S, Antonioli M, Aoki H, Apostolova N, Aquila S, Aquilano K, Araki K, Arama E, Aranda A, Araya J, Arcaro A, Arias E, Arimoto H, Ariosa AR, Armstrong JL, Arnould T, Arsov I, Asanuma K, Askanas V, Asselin E, Atarashi R, Atherton SS, Atkin JD, Attardi LD, Auberger P, Auburger G, Aurelian L, Autelli R, Avagliano L, Avantaggiati ML, Avrahami L, Awale S, Azad N, Bachetti T, Backer JM, Bae DH, Bae JS, Bae ON, Bae SH, Baehrecke EH, Baek SH, Baghdiguian S, Bagniewska-Zadworna A, Bai H, Bai J, Bai XY, Bailly Y, Balaji KN, Balduini W, Ballabio A, Balzan R, Banerjee R, Bánhegyi G, Bao H, Barbeau B, Barrachina MD, Barreiro E, Bartel B, Bartolomé A, Bassham DC, Bassi MT, Bast RC, Basu A, Batista MT, Batoko H, Battino M, Bauckman K, Baumgarner BL, Bayer KU, Beale R, Beaulieu JF, Beck GR, Becker C, Beckham JD, Bédard PA, Bednarski PJ, Begley TJ, Behl C, Behrends C, Behrens GM, Behrns KE, Bejarano E, Belaid A, Belleudi F, Bénard G, Berchem G, Bergamaschi D, Bergami M, Berkhout B, Berliocchi L, Bernard A, Bernard M, Bernassola F, Bertolotti A, Bess AS, Besteiro S, Bettuzzi S, Bhalla S, Bhattacharyya S, Bhutia SK, Biagosch C, Bianchi MW, Biard-Piechaczyk M, Billes V, Bincoletto C, Bingol B, Bird SW, Bitoun M, Bjedov I, Blackstone C, Blanc L, Blanco GA, Blomhoff HK, Boada-Romero E, Böckler S, Boes M, Boesze-Battaglia . Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition). Autophagy 12(1):1-222, 2016. PMID: 26799652.
- Pradeep S, Huang J, Mora EM, Nick AM, Cho MS, Wu SY, Noh K, Pecot CV, Rupaimoole R, Stein MA, Brock S, Wen Y, Xiong C, Gharpure K, Hansen JM, Nagaraja AS, Previs RA, Vivas-Mejia P, Han HD, Hu W, Mangala LS, Zand B, Stagg LJ, Ladbury JE, Ozpolat B, Alpay SN, Nishimura M, Stone RL, Matsuo K, Armaiz-Peña GN, Dalton HJ, Danes C, Goodman B, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Kruger C, Schneider A, Haghpeykar S, Jaladurgam P, Hung MC, Coleman RL, Liu J, Li C, Urbauer D, Lopez-Berestein G, Jackson DB, Sood AK. Erythropoietin Stimulates Tumor Growth via EphB4. Cancer Cell 28(5):610-22, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26481148.
- Gaur S, Wen Y, Song JH, Parikh NU, Mangala LS, Blessing AM, Ivan C, Wu SY, Varkaris A, Shi Y, Lopez-Berestein G, Frigo DE, Sood AK, Gallick GE. Chitosan nanoparticle-mediated delivery of miRNA-34a decreases prostate tumor growth in the bone and its expression induces non-canonical autophagy. Oncotarget 6(30):29161-77, 2015. PMID: 26313360.
- Miyake T, Pradeep S, Wu SY, Rupaimoole R, Zand B, Wen Y, Gharpure KM, Nagaraja AS, Hu W, Cho MS, Dalton HJ, Previs RA, Taylor ML, Hisamatsu T, Kang Y, Liu T, Shacham S, McCauley D, Hawke DH, Wiktorowicz JE, Coleman RL, Sood AK. XPO1/CRM1 Inhibition Causes Antitumor Effects by Mitochondrial Accumulation of eIF5A. Clin Cancer Res 21(14):3286-97, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25878333.
- Wen Y, Graybill WS, Previs RA, Hu W, Ivan C, Mangala LS, Zand B, Nick AM, Jennings NB, Dalton HJ, Sehgal V, Ram P, Lee JS, Vivas-Mejia PE, Coleman RL, Sood AK. Immunotherapy targeting folate receptor induces cell death associated with autophagy in ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res 21(2):448-59, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25416196.
- Reusser NM, Dalton HJ, Pradeep S, Gonzalez-Villasana V, Jennings NB, Vasquez HG, Wen Y, Rupaimoole R, Nagaraja AS, Gharpure K, Miyake T, Huang J, Hu W, Lopez-Berestein G, Sood AK. Clodronate inhibits tumor angiogenesis in mouse models of ovarian cancer. Cancer Biol Ther 15(8):1061-7, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24841852.
- Wen Y, Zand B, Ozpolat B, Szczepanski MJ, Lu C, Yuca E, Carroll AR, Alpay N, Bartholomeusz C, Tekedereli I, Kang Y, Rupaimoole R, Pecot CV, Dalton HJ, Hernandez A, Lokshin A, Lutgendorf SK, Liu J, Hittelman WN, Chen WY, Lopez-Berestein G, Szajnik M, Ueno NT, Coleman RL, Sood AK. Antagonism of tumoral prolactin receptor promotes autophagy-related cell death. Cell Rep 7(2):488-500, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24703838.
- Liu X, Yi C, Wen Y, Radhakrishnan P, Tremayne JR, Dao T, Johnson KR, Hollingsworth MA. Interactions between MUC1 and p120 catenin regulate dynamic features of cell adhesion, motility, and metastasis. Cancer Res 74(5):1609-20, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24371222.
- Liu X, Caffrey TC, Steele MM, Mohr A, Singh PK, Radhakrishnan P, Kelly DL, Wen Y, Hollingsworth MA. MUC1 regulates cyclin D1 gene expression through p120 catenin and β-catenin. Oncogenesis 3:e107, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24979278.
- Liu T, Hu W, Dalton HJ, Choi HJ, Huang J, Kang Y, Pradeep S, Miyake T, Song JH, Wen Y, Lu C, Pecot CV, Bottsford-Miller J, Zand B, Jennings NB, Ivan C, Gallick GE, Baggerly KA, Hangauer DG, Coleman RL, Frumovitz M, Sood AK. Targeting SRC and tubulin in mucinous ovarian carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 19(23):6532-43, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24100628.
- Kang Y, Hu W, Ivan C, Dalton HJ, Miyake T, Pecot CV, Zand B, Liu T, Huang J, Jennings NB, Rupaimoole R, Taylor M, Pradeep S, Wu SY, Lu C, Wen Y, Huang J, Liu J, Sood AK. Role of focal adhesion kinase in regulating YB-1-mediated paclitaxel resistance in ovarian cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 105(19):1485-95, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24062525.
- Pecot CV, Rupaimoole R, Yang D, Akbani R, Ivan C, Lu C, Wu S, Han HD, Shah MY, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Bottsford-Miller J, Liu Y, Kim SB, Unruh A, Gonzalez-Villasana V, Huang L, Zand B, Moreno-Smith M, Mangala LS, Taylor M, Dalton HJ, Sehgal V, Wen Y, Kang Y, Baggerly KA, Lee JS, Ram PT, Ravoori MK, Kundra V, Zhang X, Ali-Fehmi R, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Massion PP, Calin GA, Lopez-Berestein G, Zhang W, Sood AK. Tumour angiogenesis regulation by the miR-200 family. Nat Commun 4:2427, 2013. PMID: 24018975.
- Duru N, Fan M, Candas D, Menaa C, Liu HC, Nantajit D, Wen Y, Xiao K, Eldridge A, Chromy BA, Li S, Spitz DR, Lam KS, Wicha MS, Li JJ. HER2-associated radioresistance of breast cancer stem cells isolated from HER2-negative breast cancer cells. Clin Cancer Res 18(24):6634-47, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23091114.
- Nantajit D, Fan M, Duru N, Wen Y, Reed JC, Li JJ. Cyclin B1/Cdk1 phosphorylation of mitochondrial p53 induces anti-apoptotic response. PLoS One 5(8):e12341, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20808790.
- Wu Y, Zuo J, Ji G, Saiyin H, Liu X, Yin F, Cao N, Wen Y, Li JJ, Yu L. Proapoptotic function of integrin beta(3) in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Clin Cancer Res 15(1):60-9, 2009. PMID: 19118033.
- Wen Y, Golubkov VS, Strongin AY, Jiang W, Reed JC. Interaction of hepatitis B viral oncoprotein with cellular target HBXIP dysregulates centrosome dynamics and mitotic spindle formation. J Biol Chem 283(5):2793-803, 2008. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 18032378.
- Singh PK, Wen Y, Swanson BJ, Shanmugam K, Kazlauskas A, Cerny RL, Gendler SJ, Hollingsworth MA. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta-mediated phosphorylation of MUC1 enhances invasiveness in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. Cancer Res 67(11):5201-10, 2007. PMID: 17545600.
- Fujii R, Zhu C, Wen Y, Marusawa H, Bailly-Maitre B, Matsuzawa S, Zhang H, Kim Y, Bennett CF, Jiang W, Reed JC. HBXIP, cellular target of hepatitis B virus oncoprotein, is a regulator of centrosome dynamics and cytokinesis. Cancer Res 66(18):9099-107, 2006. PMID: 16982752.
- Wen Y, Makagiansar IT, Fukushi J, Liu FT, Fukuda MN, Stallcup WB. Molecular basis of interaction between NG2 proteoglycan and galectin-3. J Cell Biochem 98(1):115-27, 2006. PMID: 16365873.
- Wen Y, Caffrey TC, Wheelock MJ, Johnson KR, Hollingsworth MA. Nuclear association of the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 and beta-catenin. J Biol Chem 278(39):38029-39, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 12832415.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Target mitotic checkpoint complex during tumor progression of breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Suicidal Autophagy: Targeting tumoral PRL/PRLR axis in cancer stem cells |
| Funding Source: | Marsha Rivkin Cancer Center for Ovarian Cancer Research |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Promoting suicidal autophagy in ovarian cancer by blocking prolactin |
| Funding Source: | Foundation for Women’s Cancer |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Promoting autophagic catabolism in chemoresistant ovarian cancer |
| Funding Source: | Marsha Rivkin Cancer Center for Ovarian Cancer Research |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Therapeutic opportunities through blockade of malignant prolactin in endometrial carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Inducing autophagic cannibalism in chemoresistant ovarian cancer |
| Funding Source: | Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Eliminating dormant ovarian cancer cells by targeting canonical and non-canonical autophagy |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Promoting autophagic cell death in high-grade serous ovarian cancer by Mirvetuximab soravtansine |
| Funding Source: | National Comprehensive Cancer Network |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Overcoming Acquired Resistance to Antiangiogenic Therapy by Targeting Vascular p130cas |
| Funding Source: | The Rivkin Center for ovarian cancer |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Biodegradable nanoclusters for molecular cancer imaging |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Investigator |
| Title: | UTMDACC SPORE in Breast Cancer Career Development Award |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified October 28, 2024