Wendong Yu, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Anatomical Pathology, Division of Pathology-Lab Medicine Div
About Dr. Wendong Yu
Dr. Yu is an experienced Anatomic Pathologist with expertise in Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology and Cytopathology. He is passionate about diagnostic pathology and enjoys sharing his knowledge with trainees. In addition to his clinical practice, he contributes to cytologist education as Executive Advisor for the Cytotechnology Program in the School of Health Professions, leads initiatives as Division Representative for Houston Area Locations (HALs), and serves as Medical Director of Cytopathology at West Houston Diagnostic Imaging Laboratory. His research focuses on the clinical utility of mass spectrometry imaging, as well as morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular studies of bone and soft tissue tumors.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2006 | Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, US, Ph.D. in Molecular Virology |
| 1997 | Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, CN, Clinical Medicine, M.D |
Postgraduate Training
| 2014-2015 | Clinical Fellowship, Cytopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2012-2013 | Chief Resident, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, University of Miami /Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida |
| 2010-2014 | Clinical Residency, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, University of Miami /Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2015 | Cytopathology, American Board of Pathology (Continuing Certification) |
| 2015 | Texas Medical Board Physician License |
| 2014 | Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, American Board of Pathology (Continuing Certification) |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Anatomical Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020 - 2025
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 2019 - 2020
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2019
Instructor, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 2015 - 2015
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Technical Supervisor; Woodlands HAL, West Houston HAL, League City HAL, Life Science Plaza, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2023 - Present
Medical Director, West Houston Diagnostic Imaging Cytology Laboratory, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - Present
HAL Representative, Division of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - Present
HAL Surgical Pathology Medical Director, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, 2020 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2016 | Faculty Award for Outstanding Pathology Resident Teaching, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pathology |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2025. HSCP Pathology Board Review Course - Bone and Soft Tissue. Invited. HSCP Pathology Board Review Course. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. Tissue Analysis by Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Its Potential Application in Pathology. Invited. MD Anderson Division of Pathology and Lab Medicine Grand Round. Houston, Texas, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. Updates in Sinonasal Sarcoma Pathology. Invited. The North American Skull Base Society (NASBS) 2025 Annual Meeting combined with World Federation of Skull Base Societies 9th World Congress. New Orleans, LA, US.
- 2024. Panel Discussion on Strategies of Cytology Program. Panelist. 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting, American Society of Cytopathology. Orlando, Florida, US.
- 2024. Fine-Needle Aspiration of Metastatic Tumors to the Parotid Gland. Poster. United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology 113th Annual Meeting. Baltimore, MD, US.
- 2023. Soft Tissue Tumors with Unique Molecular Alterations: Challenges, Pitfalls, and Mimics. Invited. Soft Tissue Tumors with Unique Molecular Alterations: Challenges, Pitfalls, and Mimics. Autsin, TX, US.
- 2022. Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors of Head and Neck. Invited. Chinese American Pathologists Association Education Series, US.
- 2022. Tissue Analysis by Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry and its Potential Applications in Pathology. Invited. Brown Pathology and Lab Medicine grand rounds. Providence, Rhode Island, US.
International Presentations
- 2025. Keratin-Positive Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors. Invited. XXXII Congreso Nacional de la SEAP-IAP 2025. San Sebastián, ES.
- 2025. NUT-rearranged sarcoma. Invited. XXXII Congreso Nacional de la SEAP-IAP 2025. San Sebastian, ES.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2024 - 2027 |
| Title: | Identification of Metabolic Markers and Statistical Prediction of MPNST for Rapid Diagnosis and Assessment of Surgical Margins |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | NF230020 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2026 |
| Title: | In vivo assessment of BET blockade combined with PARP inhibition to sensitize MPNST to radiation therapy |
| Funding Source: | Children's Tumor Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Wang L, El-Naggar A, Ding Q, Yu W, Middleton L. Pattern of Sox9 Expression in Pleomorphic Adenoma, Carcinoma Ex Pleomorphic Adenoma and Matrix Producing Metaplastic Carcinoma of the Breast Lends Support to Common Biology. Virchows Archiv: European Journal of Pathology, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40583066.
- Gingrich A, Wangsiricharoen S, Torres MB, Ravi V, Ratan R, Keung EZ, Scally CP, Lazar AJ, Wang W, Roland CL, Hunt KK, Yu W, Torres KE. Clinical Variables Influencing Outcomes in Patients with Atypical Intradermal Smooth Muscle Neoplasms (Formerly Cutaneous Leiomyosarcomas): Single-Institution Study of 95 Surgical Patients. Ann Surg Oncol 31(12):7950-7956, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39150618.
- Dehner CA, Torres-Mora J, Gupta S, Kipp BR, Halling KC, Chen S, Warmke LM, Michal M, Alani A, Yu W, Kovacs K, Obeidin F, Iwenofu OH, Satturwar S, Meis JM, Folpe AL. Sarcomas Harboring EWSR1::PATZ1 Fusions: A Clinicopathologic Study of 17 Cases. Mod Pathol 37(2):100400, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38043789.
- Gomez M, Yu W, Sneige N. The Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology: the experience of a tertiary cancer center with emphasis on non-mucinous cysts and improving diagnostic results. J Am Soc Cytopathol 13(1):59-66, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37798167.
- Wangsiricharoen S, Wakely PE, Prieto VG, Yu W. Sarcoma with MGA::NUTM1 fusion: a report of three cases and literature review. Histopathology 83(5):712-721, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37442637.
- Palsgrove DN, Foss RD, Yu W, Garcia J, Rooper LM, Rekhtman N, Antonescu C, Gagan J, Agaimy A, Bishop JA. Adamantinoma-like Ewing Sarcoma (ALES) May Harbor FUS Rearrangements : A Potential Diagnostic Pitfall. Am J Surg Pathol 47(11):1243-1251, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37494548.
- DeHoog RJ, King ME, Keating MF, Zhang J, Sans M, Feider CL, Garza KY, Bensussan A, Krieger A, Lin JQ, Badal S, Alore E, Pirko C, Brahmbhatt K, Yu W, Grogan R, Eberlin LS, Suliburk J. Intraoperative Identification of Thyroid and Parathyroid Tissues During Human Endocrine Surgery Using the MasSpec Pen. JAMA Surg 158(10):1050-1059, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37531134.
- Yu W, Gan Q, Gong Y. The Yokohama System for Reporting Breast Cytopathology. Journal of Clinical and Translational Pathology, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Wilde DC, Castro PD, Bera K, Lai S, Madabhushi A, Corredor G, Koyuncu C, Lewis JS, Lu C, Frederick MJ, Frederick AM, Haugen AE, Zevallos JP, Sturgis EM, Shi J, Huang AT, Hernandez DJ, Skinner HD, Kemnade JO, Yu W, Sikora AG, Sandulache VC. Oropharyngeal cancer outcomes correlate with p16 status, multinucleation and immune infiltration. Mod Pathol 35(8):1045-1054, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35184149.
- Jang HJ, Lee HS, Yu W, Ramineni M, Truong CY, Ramos D, Splawn T, Choi JM, Jung SY, Lee JS, Wang DY, Sederstrom JM, Pietropaolo M, Kheradmand F, Amos CI, Wheeler TM, Ripley RT, Burt BM. Therapeutic Targeting of Macrophage Plasticity Remodels the Tumor-Immune Microenvironment. Cancer Res 82(14):2593-2609, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35709756.
- Wang J, Wang WL, Sun H, Huo L, Wu Y, Chen H, Gan Q, Meis JM, Maloney N, Lazar AJ, Yoon EC, Albarracin CT, Krishnamurthy S, Middleton LP, Resetkova E, Yu W, Tan D, Lu W, Solis Soto LM, Wang S, Wistuba II, Parwani AV, Prieto VG, Sahin AA, Li Z, Ding Q. Expression of TRPS1 in phyllodes tumor and sarcoma of the breast. Hum Pathol 121:73-80, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35063444.
- Zhang J, Sans M, DeHoog RJ, Garza KY, King ME, Feider CL, Bensussan A, Keating MF, Lin JQ, Povilaitis SC, Katta N, Milner TE, Yu W, Nagi C, Dhingra S, Pirko C, Brahmbhatt KA, Van Buren G, Carter S, Thompson A, Grogan RH, Suliburk J, Eberlin LS. Clinical Translation and Evaluation of a Handheld and Biocompatible Mass Spectrometry Probe for Surgical Use. Clin Chem 67(9):1271-1280, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34263289.
- King ME, Zhang J, Lin JQ, Garza KY, DeHoog RJ, Feider CL, Bensussan A, Sans M, Krieger A, Badal S, Keating MF, Woody S, Dhingra S, Yu W, Pirko C, Brahmbhatt KA, Van Buren G, Fisher WE, Suliburk J, Eberlin LS. Rapid diagnosis and tumor margin assessment during pancreatic cancer surgery with the MasSpec Pen technology. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 118(28), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34260388.
- Warren EAK, Anil J, Castro PD, Kemnade J, Suzuki M, Hegde M, Hicks J, Yu W, Sandulache V, Sikora AG. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Variation within and across primary tumor sites, and implications for antigen-specific immunotherapy. Head Neck 43(7):1983-1994, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33660372.
- Sengal A, Velazquez J, Hahne MV, Burke T, Abhyankar H, Reyes RWI, Olea W, Scull BP, Eckstein OS, Bigenwald C, Bollard CM, Yu W, Merad M, McClain KL, Allen CE, Chakraborty R. Overcoming T cell exhaustion in LCH: PD-1 blockade and targeted MAPK inhibition are synergistic in a mouse model of LCH. Blood 137(13):1777-1791, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33075814.
Review Articles
- Wangsiricharoen S, Meis J, Yu W. NUT-rearranged sarcoma. Seminars in Diagnostic Pathology 42(5), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40609381.
- Warmke LM, Yu W, Meis JM. Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma. Surg Pathol Clin 17(1):119-139, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38278601.
Professional Educational Materials
- Albarracin C, Araujo DM, Arribas E, Arun BK, Bast Jr RC, Benjamin RS, Bevers T, Booser DJ, Brewster A, Buzdar AU, Caudle AS, DeSnyder SM, Dryden MJ, Fleckenstein ON, Giordano SH, Hoffman K, Hortobagyi GN, Hwang RF, Ibrahim NK, Koenig KB, Krishnamurthy S, Lane DL, Le-Petross HC, Lillemoe H, Litton J, Lucci A, Ludwig JA, Meric-Bernstam F, Middleton LP, Haygood TM, Patel S, Perkins GH, Ravi V, Resetkova E, Ross MI, Sahin AA, Santiago L, Shaitelman SF, Smith B, Strom EA, Symmans W, Tamirisa N, Valero V, Warren ML, Whitman GJ, Woodward W, Yang W, Yu W. Phyllodes Tumor algorithm. MD Anderson, 2023.
Abstracts
- Ibrahim E, Hegazy S, Gong Y, Krishnamurthy S, Meis J, Yu W. Metastatic Sarcomas to Pleural Effusion: A Referral Cancer Center Experience. United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Yu W, Gong Y, Sneige N. Fine-Needle Aspiration of Metastatic Tumors to the Parotid Gland. United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Ahmed M, Klippel D, Amin S, Sura G, Kundu U, Yu W, Stewart J, Gan Q, Krishnamurthy, S. Utility of Whole Slide Imaging for Evaluation of Thyroid Fine Needle Aspiration: A Multi-reader Prospective Study. United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Gomez M, Yu W, Sneige N. The Role of the Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology: A Cancer Center Experience. United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology 112th Annual Meeting, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 01, 2025