David Wald graduated from Cornell University in 1997. He then matriculated to Case Western Reserve University as an MSTP Student. While a graduate student, he studied Toll-like receptor signaling ultimately attaining a Ph.D. in Pathology. After the completion of his medical school requirements, Dr. Wald continued his clinical training in Clinical Pathology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Dr. Wald also conducted postdoctoral research in the laboratories of Drs. Bryan Roth and William Tse. While in these laboratories, Dr. Wald developed an interest in cancer drug development and began to identify novel drug candidates for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and to explore their mechanisms of action. In 2008, Dr. Wald joined Case Western Reserve University's Department of Pathology.
My area of investigation includes cellular therapies for cancer, cancer drug development, and genetic and molecular analyses of leukemia.
Research Information
Research Projects
Our research efforts are centered around the identification and development of novel therapeutic strategies for cancer with a particular focus on Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AML is one of the most common forms of leukemia in adults and despite advances in treatment the median survival in patients over the age of 56 is less than one year. One of the major problems is that elderly patients frequently are not able to tolerate the current therapeutics which have high toxicities leaving them with no satisfactory options. Our laboratory is involved in elucidating novel therapeutic approaches to more specifically target AML cells to try to improve the efficacy and lessen the toxicities of AML therapy. In particular, we are actively investigating three approaches that involve ATP depletion-mediated differentiation, the design of novel nucleoside analogues that exhibit leukemic cell preferential uptake, and the targeting of a particular kinase that appears to be dysregulated in AML. We are currently conducting studies to both define the mechanisms of these strategies as well as to further assess their clinical potential using both in vitro and mouse in vivo based approaches.
External Appointments
Publications
- Xiao, H., Gulen, M. F., Qin, J., Yao, J., Bulek, K., Kish, D., Altuntas, C. Z., Wald, D., Ma, C., Zhou, H., Tuohy, V. K., Fairchild, R. L., de la Motte, C., Cua, D., Vallance, B. A., Li, X. "The Toll-interleukin-1 receptor member SIGIRR regulates colonic epithelial homeostasis, inflammation, and tumorigenesis.." Immunity. 2007 Apr;26(4):461-75. Epub 2007 Mar 29.
- Gregory, T. K., Wald, D., Chen, Y., Vermaat, J. M., Xiong, Y., Tse, W. "Molecular prognostic markers for adult acute myeloid leukemia with normal cytogenetics.." J Hematol Oncol. 2009 Jun 2;2:23. doi: 10.1186/1756-8722-2-23.