Dr. Weina Chen is the Medical Director of Hematopathology Division at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSWMC). She received her medical degrees at Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, China, and PhD degree in Biophysics at Ecole Polytechnique, France. After four years of basic research in ischemic heart conditioning at Duke University and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), she went to UTSWMC where she completed her Pathology residency and Hematopathology fellowship. Dr. Chen served as faculty at MD Anderson Cancer Center and moved back to UTSWMC where she reached the rank of professor.

Dr. Chen’s clinical focus is on the diagnosis of hematolymphoid malignancies including leukemia and lymphoma by morphology and flow cytometry in conjunction with genetic studies. Most of her research studies have come from the observations that she has made at the microscope and flow cytometry. The intriguing findings of disease patterns under the microscope and various cell populations by flow cytometry sparked her intellectual curiosity to explore the underling molecular pathogenesis. The findings from these studies have not only advanced our understanding of the biology of these diseases but also enhanced the diagnostic powers, including the recommendation in our clinical practice. Notable contribution included copper testing in cytopenia work-up, flow cytometric biomarkers for myelodysplastic syndromes and MYC rearranged aggressive lymphomas, and novel biomarkers (e.g. LILRB1 and LILRB4) for acute monocytic leukemia.

Dr. Chen has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters including 5th WHO classifications of Tumours. She has served as an editorial board member of Seminars in Diagnostic Pathology, a member of International Clinical Flow Cytometry Education Committee, College of American Pathology (CAP)/Hematolymphoid Cancer Protocol Review Committee, and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guideline Committee on Hodgkin lymphoma.