John F. DiPersio, MD, PhD, the Virginia E. and Sam J. Golman Endowed Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received the Chancellor's Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for his research contributions to the field of oncology that are paving the way for novel cancer therapies.
DiPersio, who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the School of Medicine, is an expert in understanding and treating leukemia - cancers that affect blood cells. His research aims to improve cancer care by developing novel strategies that enhance immunotherapy. With the help of the university's Office of Technology Management, he co-founded Wugen, a Washington University startup that develops cell-based immunotherapies, including "universal" CAR-T cell therapies to target leukemia and lymphoma using off-the-shelf treatments rather than patient-derived therapies.
