From the Chair

Welcome! 

The Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Pennsylvania is dedicated to advancing fundamental cancer research across cancer types and disciplines, towards the goal of improving strategies to reduce the overall burden of cancer.  Our department includes 18 primary faculty members and 11 affiliated faculty members, with research programs spanning fields including tumor immunology, the tumor microenvironment, cancer metabolism, DNA repair and genome integrity, cancer epigenetics, tumor dormancy, oncogenic signaling, cancer therapeutics, synthetic biology, and computational biology. 

We strive to foster a collaborative environment that accelerates scientific discovery, deepens mechanistic understanding of cancer biology, engages clinical colleagues to advance translation, and nurtures the next generation of cancer biologists training in our laboratories.

On a personal note, I have been a member of the Department of Cancer Biology since 2006 when I arrived at Penn as a postdoctoral fellow.  I started my lab here in 2011 and am honored to assume the role of Chair as of July 2026.  I am deeply proud to be a part of this outstanding department and excited about the groundbreaking research underway.

We invite you to explore our website, learn about the research programs led by our faculty, and browse our recent research highlights.  This is a time of rapid progress in the fight against cancer, and our world-class faculty and trainees are making new advances every day.

Kathryn E. Wellen , Ph.D.

Professor and Chair, Department of Cancer Biology