The Wistar Institute Appoints David B. Weiner, Ph.D., as Executive Vice President and Director of the Vaccine Center

Newswise — PHILADELPHIA—(Mar. 1, 2016)—The Wistar Institute, an international biomedical research leader in cancer, immunology and infectious diseases, is pleased to announce the appointment of preeminent immunologist and vaccine expert David B. Weiner, Ph.D., as executive vice president of The Wistar Institute, director of the Vaccine Center, and the W. W. Smith Endowed Chair in Cancer Research. In this multifaceted role, Weiner will work closely with Wistar’s President and CEO Dario C. Altieri, M.D., to guide the overall growth, strength and stability of the Institute by expanding its scientific excellence in cutting-edge research, as well as apply translational expertise to bridge the gap between research and clinical application. As Vaccine Center director, he will put together a robust program marshaling in top talent to extend Wistar’s immunology research trajectory. Furthermore, Weiner will contribute tumor immunology-focused research to bolster the ongoing work and mission of Wistar as professor in Wistar’s Translational Tumor Immunology program.

“David will bring to Wistar a 30-year career of groundbreaking achievements and unprecedented innovation that have revolutionized the way we think about vaccines for disease prevention as well as cancer vaccines for treatment,” said Altieri. “His extraordinary drive for research excellence and his unrelenting commitment to the betterment of people’s lives are an inspiration for us all, and a perfect match to the spirit of scientific discovery that has been a hallmark of Wistar science over the decades. I very much look forward to working with David and embrace his clear vision for immunology, virology and vaccine research to shape the future of Wistar science in solving some of the most complex biological problems in infectious diseases.”
“This is an extraordinary occasion to pursue entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities in support of the Institute’s core mission and lead the scientific and operational expansion of vaccine research and development at Wistar,” said Weiner. “Wistar’s illustrious history and tradition of vaccine research spans more than 50 years, and I am committed to propelling its leading-edge translational research forward.”

Weiner is the recipient of numerous honors including election as a fellow to both the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2011 and the International Society for Vaccines in 2012. He is the recipient of the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award and received the Vaccine Industry Excellence Award for Best Academic Research Team in 2015 at the World Vaccine Congress. Weiner was honored with the prestigious Hilleman Lectureship in 2015 at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Grand Rounds session and received a Stone Family Award from Abramson Cancer Center for his groundbreaking work on DNA vaccines for cancer immune therapy.

Weiner returns to Wistar from his position at The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine as professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. From 1990 to 1993, Weiner held a joint position as assistant professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at The Wistar Institute and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Weiner graduated with a B.S. in biology from SUNY at Stony Brook, in Stony Brook, N.Y., a M.S. in biology from the University of Cincinnati and a Ph.D. in developmental biology from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

The Wistar Institute is an international leader in biomedical research with special expertise in cancer research and vaccine development. Founded in 1892 as the first independent nonprofit biomedical research institute in the country, Wistar has held the prestigious Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute since 1972. The Institute works actively to ensure that research advances move from the laboratory to the clinic as quickly as possible. wistar.org.