Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine
I am a hematology physician scientist fascinated by how nutrition and metabolism can cause DNA damage in our body, how this can affect ageing and cancer, and motivated to translate this knowledge to novel therapy.
I am a MD PhD graduate from University of Cambridge, UK. My PhD was with Professor Michael Neuberger at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology focusing on B cell immunology. I completed my residency clinical training at King’s College Hospital in London, followed by hematology specialist fellowship in Cambridge. During this time, I was awarded the Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist Fellowship to conduct my postdoc with Professor KJ Patel and Professor George Vassiliou. I studied aldehydes as a metabolic source of DNA damage in blood stem cells that can cause leukemia and ageing of the bone marrow.
Since March 2023, I started my lab as Assistant Professor in the Division of Nutritional Science at Cornell University. My lab combines genetic models of DNA damage with ultra-sensitive mass spectrometry to identify novel metabolic sources of DNA damage, and to therapeutically target these pathways to improve health.
Education
2023, Hematology Certificate of Completion of Training (US Board equivalent), Clinical Hematology, National Health Service
2022, Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist Fellowship, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge
2017, FRCPath, Hematology, Royal College of Pathology
2015, M.Phil, Clinical Sciences, University of Cambridge
2011, M.D., University of Cambridge Medical School
2010, Ph.D., Biological Sciences , MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge
2005, B.A. (Cantab), Medical and Veterinary Science Tripos, University of Cambridge
Interests
Metabolic Sources of DNA Damage, DNA Damage in Aging and Cancer, Targeting Leukemia With DNA Damage
Recent Research
The overarching research goals in my lab are to discover the chemicals produced within our body that cause DNA damage and understand how our genome is protected from these genotoxins. This knowledge could explain how health is maintained throughout human life and how/when it can go wrong thus leading to ageing and cancer.
Wang M, Brandt L, Wang X, Garaycoechea JI, Wilson N, Kingston SJ, Gottgens B, Patel KJ (2022) Aldehyde genotoxic stress prematurely ages hematopoietic stem cells in a p53 driven manner. Under revision
Wang M, Bolli N, Vassiliou G. The molecular basis of haematological malignancies. Postgraduate Haematology, Under revision
Wang M, Dingler FA, Patel KJ. Genotoxic aldehydes in the hematopoietic system. Blood, 2022 Apr 7;139(14):2119-2129. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019004316.
Dingler FA*, Wang M*, Mu A*,...Takata M, Patel KJ. (2020) Two aldehyde clearance systems are essential to prevent lethal formaldehyde accumulation in mice and humans. Molecular Cell, 80(6):996- 1012 *Joint authors.
Wang M, Wang W, Abeywardane A, et al. (2015). Autoimmune hemolytic anemia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: analysis of 533 adult patients transplanted at King’s College Hospital, Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, 21(1):60-6.
Wang M, Medeiros BC, Erba HP, Deangelo, DJ, Giles FJ, Swords RT (2011). Targeting protein neddylation: a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer. Expert Opin Ther Targets 15, 253- 64.
Wang M, Rada C and Neuberger MS (2011). A high throughput assay for DNA deaminases. Methods in Molecular Biology 718, 171-84.
Wang M, Rada C and Neuberger MS (2010). Altering the spectrum of immunoglobulin V gene somatic hypermutation by modifying the active site of AID. The Journal of Experimental Medicine 207, 141-153.
Wang M, Yang Z, Rada C and Neuberger MS (2009). AID upmutants isolated using a high-throughput screen highlight the immunity/cancer balance limiting DNA deaminase activity. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 16, 769-776.
General Medical Registration (2011-present) to practice clinical medicine and hematology in the UK
Fellow of The Royal College of Pathologists
Membership of Royal College of Physicians (London)
Membership of British Society for Haematology
Clinical Research Associate - Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge
Associate Lecturer - Anglia Ruskin University Medical School
Bye-Fellow - Selwyn College, University of Cambridge
Three innovative approaches to treating infections, fighting cancer, and enhancing the body’s immune system have been selected for funding through the Cornell Center for Immunology's 2025 Multidisciplinary Seed Grants.
Academic focus: Nutritional and metabolic sources of DNA damage that impacts cancer and aging. Research summary: As a physician scientist, my research aims to identify the chemicals produced by our metabolism that damages our DNA and to better...