Adrian Wiestner, M.D., Ph.D.

I lead the lymphoid malignancies section of the Hematology Branch, supported by the intramural research program of the NHLBI, NIH. As senior investigator on clinical trials and principal investigator of the laboratory program, I combine clinical and laboratory investigation that aim to improve treatment for patients with B-cell malignancies, in particular Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). I am pursuing three major goals: First, identify pathogenic mechanisms to assist the development of targeted therapy. Second, evaluate novel agents and treatment concepts in clinical trials and investigate resistance mechanisms through pharmacodynamic and genetic studies in patients enrolled on our clinical trials. Third, study the impact of treatment on immune function, response to vaccines, the interplay between the immune system and the progression of CLL, and how we can harness immune mechanisms to improve treatment.

Dr. Adrian Wiestner leads the Laboratory of Lymphoid Malignancies, Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH. Dr. Wiestner earned his M.D. from the University of Basel Medical School in Switzerland in 1992, and a Ph.D. in genetics in 1998. He joined the NIH with the NHLBI Hematology Fellowship Program in 2000. In September 2004, Dr. Wiestner was appointed as a Tenure Track Investigator with the NHLBI Hematology Branch and was promoted to Senior Investigator in December 2013. As senior investigator on clinical trials and principal investigator of the laboratory program, he combines clinical and laboratory investigation that aim to improve treatment for patients with B-cell malignancies, in particular Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). He is pursuing three major goals: First, identify pathogenic mechanisms to assist the development of targeted therapy. Second, evaluate novel agents and treatment concepts in clinical trials. Third, investigate resistance mechanisms through pharmacodynamic and genetic studies in patients enrolled on our clinical trials.