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Max S. Wicha, M.D.
Director
As founding director of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Max S. Wicha, M.D., is responsible
for coordinating all cancer activities related to research and patient care.
Dr. Wicha also serves as the distinguished professor of oncology, professor of internal medicine and is nationally
known for his research in the field of breast oncology, particularly the study of how breast cancer cells grow and
metastasize. His lab was part of the team that first discovered stem cells in breast cancer, the first described
in any human solid tumor.
Since then, Dr. Wicha has become one of the leading experts on cancer stem cells, with his continued work on
breast cancer stem cells. He has also led efforts within the UMCCC to expand these findings into other tumor
types. U-M researchers were first to discover stem cells in pancreatic and head and neck cancers and are
focusing on cancer stem cells in virtually every cancer type, including colon, lung and thyroid tumors.
Dr. Wicha is also active as a clinician, specializing in the treatment of breast cancer patients. He has served as
chairman of the board of the Association of American Cancer Institutes and as past chairman for the National Cancer
Institute's Cancer Center Support Review Committee.
Dr. Wicha joined the University of Michigan Medical Center in 1980. From 1984 to 1993, he served as chief in the
Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Wicha received his medical degree from
Stanford University and trained in internal medicine at the University of Chicago. He then went on to the National
Cancer Institute, where he trained in clinical oncology and cancer biology.
Eric R. Fearon, M.D., Ph.D.
Deputy Director and Associate Director for Basic Science Research
Eric R. Fearon, M.D., Ph.D., associate director for basic science research and Maisel professor of oncology, is
responsible for coordinating studies of the mechanisms underlying cancer development, as well as the translation
of laboratory observations to clinical applications in the diagnosis and management of cancer.
A nationally recognized expert in the field of cancer genetics, Dr. Fearon also serves as co-director of the
Cancer Centers Genetics Research Program, which focuses on identifying the genetic alterations and gene expression
changes that underlie the development of cancer. In addition, the Program strives to apply the emerging information
to improve risk assessment, prevention, pre-symptomatic diagnosis, early detection, and therapy of cancer.
Dr. Fearon's research focuses on the nature and role of genetic alterations and gene expression changes in
colorectal and other cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. He holds a primary appointment in the Department of
Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, and joint appointments in the departments of Human Genetics
and Pathology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Fearon is an editorial board member or editor for a number
of scientific journals.
Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Michigan in 1995, Dr. Fearon was an assistant professor at
Yale University School of Medicine. He received his medical and research degrees and was a postdoctoral fellow at
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
TBD
Medical Director
Alfred E. Chang, M.D. 
Chief of Surgical Oncology
Alfred E. Chang, M.D., is the Hugh Cabot professor of surgery and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology. He is a leading authority in the development of cancer vaccines and adoptive immunotherapy, promising techniques to attack cancers at the cellular level by stimulation of the immune system.
Dr. Chang has special expertise in the treatment of melanomas, breast cancers and gastrointestinal cancers. He was formerly the director of the Breast Care Center at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and is currently the director of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Program at the Center. Dr. Chang is on numerous editorial boards of journals dealing with clinical research, surgical oncology and tumor immunology.
Prior to coming to the University of Michigan Health System, he was a senior investigator in the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Chang received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his surgical residency at Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania, with an intervening surgical oncology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute.
Maha H. Hussain, M.D., 
Associate Director of Clinical Research
Maha Hussain, M.D., is a professor of Internal Medicine and Urology. She is nationally and internationally recognized in the
field of oncology, specifically in genitourinary cancer. She serves as co-leader of the Cancer Center's Urologic Oncology
Program, and her research focuses on new therapies for prostate cancer and bladder cancer. In addition, she treats patients
with genitourinary cancers.
Dr. Hussain has held numerous leadership positions in clinical research, including as an adviser and chair of the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration's Oncology Drug Advisory Committee, a leader of the Southwest Oncology Group Genitourinary
Committee and chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Education Committee. In addition, Dr. Hussain chaired
the University of Michigan Medical School's Dean's Advisory Council on Clinical Research.
Dr. Hussain is a fellow with the American College of Physicians, completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at
Wayne State University and is an editorial board member or editor for a number of scientific journals.
Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Michigan in 2002, Dr. Hussain was an assistant professor at Wayne State
University and a staff physician at the VA Medical Center in Detroit. She received her medical degree from Baghdad
University School of Medicine.
Theodore S. Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. 
Chair, Radiation Oncology
Theodore S. Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D., Isadore Lampe professor of radiation oncology, is the chair of the Department of
Radiation Oncology and a professor in the Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health. He is co-chair
of the Radiation Sciences Program and head of the Experimental Irradiation Core of the Cancer Center. On a national
level, he is the chair of the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Councilors and a member of the Institute
of Medicine. He is an editor of The Cancer Journal: Journal of the Principles and Practice of Oncology. Dr. Lawrence
is a past president and chairman of the board of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO),
the chief professional society for radiation oncology, and a past member of the Board of Directors of ASCO.
Dr. Lawrence's interests in the laboratory are focused on chemotherapeutic and molecularly targeted radiosensitizer.
His clinical research combines these laboratory studies with conformal radiation guided by metabolic and functional
imaging for the treatment of patients with gastrointestinal and central nervous system malignancies.
Dr. Lawrence joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1987, following a fellowship in medical oncology
and a residency in radiation oncology at the National Cancer Institute. He received his research degree in cell
biology from the Rockefeller University in New York, followed by his medical degree from Cornell University and an
internal medicine residency at Stanford University.
Kenneth J. Pienta, M.D. 
Director, Specialized Program of Research Excellence
Kenneth J. Pienta, M.D., professor of medicine and surgery, serves as the Cancer Center’s associate director for the Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant in prostate cancer. As the principal investigator of the $12 million National Cancer Institute grant, Dr. Pienta is responsible for overseeing multidisciplinary efforts to prevent, diagnose and treat prostate cancer.
Dr. Pienta also serves as co-director of the Cancer Center's Urologic/Prostate Oncology Research Program. His research interests include understanding the process of prostate cancer metastasis to bone, discovering novel drug combinations to treat hormone refractory prostate cancer, and developing approaches aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Dr. Pienta joined the Cancer Center in 1994. Previously, he was assistant professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine and deputy director of the Urologic Oncology Program at the Meyer L. Prentis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Detroit. He received his medical degree and was a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Moshe Talpaz, M.D.
Associate Director of Translational Research and
Alexander J. Trotman Professor of Leukemia research
Moshe Talpaz, M.D., Associate Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology, is a leading clinical investigator in hematologic malignancies. Dr. Talpaz
focuses on the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and brings special expertise in immunotherapy, cytokines and biologic response
modifiers.
Internationally known for his role in the development of targeted cancer therapeutics, Dr. Talpaz pioneered the study of interferon in
CML, which was the first line therapy for CML until the introduction of STI571 (Gleevec). As a pivotal member of the team that developed
Gleevec, Dr. Talpaz was instrumental in bringing to market one of the most effective targeted treatments used to date in cancer care.
As a leader in the development of novel therapeutics, Dr. Talpaz has unique experience in the building of Phase I clinical trial programs.
In addition to expanding U-M's program in hematologic malignances, he has established a highly successful Phase I therapeutics program at the Cancer Center.
Dr. Talpaz joined U-M in 2006, from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he was professor of medicine and held the David Bruton Chair for Cancer Research. He has authored or co-authored nearly 400 articles in top national journals and textbooks, and is a member of the American Society of Hematology and the NCCN Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Guidelines Panel.
TBD; Associate Director for Cancer Prevention and Control
Jeremy M.G. Taylor, Ph.D. 
Associate Director, Biostatistics Unit
Jeremy M.G. Taylor, Ph.D., Pharmacia Research Professor of
Biostatistics in the School of Public Health and of radiation oncology
in the Medical School, is associate director for biostatistics of the
Cancer Center. As the director of the Biostatistics Unit, Dr. Taylor is
responsible for collaborating with research scientists within the
Cancer Center on the design of studies and the evaluation and
interpretation of scientific data.
Dr. Taylor's own research focuses on developing statistical methods
used in cancer research, with specific interest in longitudinal data
analysis, surrogate markers, survival analysis, biomarkers and
functional genomics. He is a fellow of the American Statistical
Association.
Prior to joining the Cancer Center in 1998, Dr. Taylor was
professor-in-residence in the Department of Radiation Oncology and the
Department of Biostatistics at the University of California Los
Angeles. He was the 1996 winner of the Michael Fry Research Award from
the Radiation Research Society and the Mortimer Spiegelman Award from
the American Public Health Association. Dr. Taylor received his
doctoral degree in statistics from the University of California,
Berkeley.
Kathleen Cooney, M.D.
Frances and Victor Ginsberg Professor of Hematology/Oncology
Professor of Internal Medicine and Urology
Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology
Associate Director for Faculty Affairs, UMCCC
Dr. Kathleen Cooney is a Professor of Internal Medicine and Urology at the University of Michigan Medical School.
In January 2009, she was appointed Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine at
the University of Michigan Medical School and Associate Director for Faculty Affairs for the University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMCCC). Since April 2007, Dr. Cooney has served as the Interim Chief of the Division
of Hematology/Oncology. In this role she was instrumental in the development of a junior faculty mentoring program,
the continued recruitment of key physician scientist and clinician scholar faculty, and the enhancement of clinical operations.
Dr. Cooney is a highly respected physician scientist who, in addition to establishing an international reputation in the field
of prostate cancer research, has contributed extensively to the clinical, teaching and service missions of the University of
Michigan. Her work on the identification and characterization of genetic factors which cause or influence the development of
prostate cancer has resulted in numerous significant contributions to the field. Dr. Cooney's scientific productivity is
reflected in her bibliography which includes 87 peer-reviewed articles, 50 of which have been published in the past 5 years.
She has a large portfolio of intra and extramural grants - she serves as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on numerous
NIH awards, including serving as Co-Director of the NCI SPORE in prostate cancer grant. Dr. Cooney's international stature
is also evidenced in her service on major editorial boards (including Clinical Cancer Research) and NIH advisory panels,
extensive extramural invited presentations, and service on national and international professional and scientific committees,
including the Steering Committee of the International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG).
In addition to her scholarly efforts, Dr. Cooney is also a committed teacher and mentor. She is involved in the training of
students at all levels, both in the laboratory and the clinic, and through numerous didactic presentations. Dr. Cooney also
remains a dedicated clinician, serving as a staff physician at the Ann Arbor Veteran's Affairs Medical Center (VAMC)
and the UMCCC, and as Service Chief for the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Her clinical practice is focused on
caring for patients with bladder and/or prostate cancer as part of the Multidisciplinary Urologic Oncology Clinic at the UMCCC.
Marcy Bohm Waldinger, M.H.S.A.
Chief Administrative Officer
Marcy Bohm Waldinger, M.H.S.A., oversees all aspects of administration including clinical operations, patient support services, cancer registry, business and
finance, research administration, marketing communications and development. She was integrally involved in planning the Cancer Center’s nine-story building
and is responsible for its clinical and research administration and space management. As a member of the Cancer Center Senior Leadership,
Ms. Waldinger functions
as a chief operation officer with responsibility to ensure that all aspects of Cancer Center administration effectively supports the programmatic,
financial, strategic and management needs of the Center.
Ms. Waldinger is a founding board member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and chairs its Best Practices Committee. She is also a
member and former board member of the Cancer Center Administrators Forum. She serves as the sole administrator on the Scientific External Advisory Boards of
numerous academic cancer centers nationwide, including Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Institute, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins, Stanford and Vanderbilt.
Ms. Waldinger joined the Cancer Center in 1992, and has served in an administrative capacity at the University of Michigan Medical Center since 1980.
She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan. Her master's degree in health services administration was obtained
from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 1980.
Gregory T. Wolf, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Director, Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Head and Neck Cancer
Gregory T. Wolf, M.D., professor and chair of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Michigan, serves as the Cancer Center's Associate Director for the Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant in head and neck cancer. As the principal investigator of the $12 million National Cancer Institute grant, Dr. Wolf is responsible for overseeing the administrative and scientific direction of this multidisciplinary, translational research program examining the molecular basis of head and neck cancer.
Dr. Wolf has been principal investigator and study chairman of several national multi-institutional clinical trials which are investigating the use of induction chemotherapy for organ preservation in head and neck cancer. His main research interests have been in tumor immunology, immunotherapy and cell biology, and his clinical trial research has included studies of immunotherapy and chemotherapy regimens. Dr. Wolf received national recognition as study chairman of two large prospective randomized trials that have provided the foundation for changing the standard therapy for patients with advanced laryngeal cancers.
Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1980, Dr. Wolf completed a two-year immunology fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. He received his medical degree from the University of Michigan followed by postgraduate training in otolaryngology and general surgery at the State University of New York, Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, and Georgetown University.
-updated 06/2012
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