Dr. William G Wierda

Dr. William G. Wierda is a distinguished expert in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), serving as a Professor of Medicine and Center Medical Director in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He holds the Jane and John Justin Distinguished Chair in Leukemia Research in Honor of Dr. Elihu Estey. Dr. Wierda earned his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology in 1992 and his MD in 1993 from the University of Health Sciences at Chicago Medical School. Following his education, Dr. Wierda completed his internal medicine training at Duke University and a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the University of California, San Diego, under the mentorship of Dr. Thomas Kipps. As the head of the CLL section in the Department of Leukemia, Dr. Wierda directs clinical and translational efforts in CLL and low-grade lymphoproliferative diseases. He also serves as the director of the clinical core and clinical research of the CLL Research Consortium (CRC), a multicenter project involving institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, The Ohio State University, UCSD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Long Island Jewish Hospital. Dr. Wierda has contributed significantly to the field through numerous publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and has delivered lectures at national and international scientific meetings. He has also been a member of the NCCN Lymphoma Panel, providing leadership and recommendations for CLL treatment guidelines. In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Wierda has received several awards, including the D.B. Lane Cancer Research Distinguished Professorship in 2017 and the 2018 Faculty Achievement Award in Patient Care from MD Anderson Cancer Center.