2011 Collaborative Research Development Grant Recipient — Weiping Zou, MD, PhD

Project Summary

Most women first diagnosed with ovarian cancer usually have advanced disease. While most of these patients will initially respond to surgery and chemotherapy, relapse with drug-resistant cancer usually occurs and the women die. In his project, Dr. Zou will use an animal model to study various types of ovarian cancer cells, including the cancer stem cell, which is believed to play a role in cancer development, cancer metastasis and chemotherapy resistance. He will also study the role immune cells and other cells in the tumor microenvironment play in facilitating cancer stem cell growth and in chemotherapy resistance. His findings should lead to a greater understanding of the defects in the molecular pathways involved in disease progression and drug resistance.

Bio

Weiping Zou M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor of Surgery, Immunology and Biology, Director of Translational Research and Co-Director, Immune Monitoring Core at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He received his Bachelor and Medical degrees from Tongji Medical School and his doctoral degree from University of Paris. He has received numerous honors and awards including The Charles B. Henriques Award for Excellence in Research, Tulane Outstanding and Research Excellence, and the Presidential Award at Tulane. Dr. Zou’s research interest is in tumor immunopathology and therapy, with an emphasis on the roles of immune cells, and the interaction between immune cells and cancer stem cells in tumor immune immunity and therapy.