Neha Wali, DPhil
M.D./Ph.D. Student
Neha completed her DPhil under the joint supervision of Curtis Harris, MD (NIH/NCI) and Xin Lu, PhD (University of Oxford) through the NIH Oxford-Cambridge (OxCam) Scholars Program (Track 2). As a student in the South Texas Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD Program), Neha has transitioned back to medical school for her final two years of clinical training before an anticipated MD graduation in May 2027. Given her clinical and research interests, Neha plans to pursue an internal medicine residency and hematology/oncology fellowship.
About Me
I'm an East Coaster through and through, hailing from multiple states on the EC. As a high school and undergraduate student, I engaged in research at the NCI, FDA, Johns Hopkins University, and my undergraduate institution, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). TX has been my first venture into the Central Time Zone, as I joined the STX-MSTP the week after I graduated from UMBC. Little did I know that I would swiftly return to the EC (and then go to the UK) for my DPhil research! Now I’m completing the final two years of medical school, and I look forward to the next steps on this incredible path.
Hobbies/Interests
Watching movies, TV shows, and sports, listening to music, tech and watch enthusiast.
Research Topic
Cancer genomics, tumor immunology, cancer immunotherapy
Why I chose MD/PhD
I have taken part in extensive immuno-oncology and cancer genomics research over many years. These experiences have led to my desire to become a physician-scientist who runs cancer immunotherapy clinical trials and leads a research laboratory centered around cancer genomics and immuno-oncology research. Consequently, I believed an MD/PhD would provide the requisite training to develop robust foundations in and facilitate a strong integration of both components.
Education
B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2018
Awards
2025 Second place, Three Minute Thesis, STX-MSTP Retreat
2025 Conference Travel Award, American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) Midwest Regional Conference
2025 Conference Travel Award, APSA South Regional Conference
2024 First place, Three Minute Thesis, STX-MSTP Retreat
2022 Second place, Graduate Student Posters, APSA South Regional Conference
2019 – 2020 Predoctoral Fellow, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (NIH T32GM113896), STX-MSTP
2019 Honorable Mention, Medical Students Posters, Long School of Medicine Research Day, UT Health San Antonio
2019 Alumni Association Passport Award, Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio
2018 Summa cum laude, UMBC
2018 Outstanding Graduating Senior in Biochemistry, UMBC
2017 Second place, Biochemical Sciences, Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences, UMBC
2016 First place, Biochemical Sciences, Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences, UMBC
2015 Thomas V. Marsho and Martin Schwartz Memorial Fund Award, UMBC
2014 – 2018 President’s List Honors, UMBC
2014 – 2018 University Scholar Award, UMBC
Publications
Schubert AD, Channah Broner E, Agrawal N, London N, Pearson A, Gupta A, Wali N, Seiwert TY, Wheelan S, Lingen M, Macleod K, Allen H, Chatterjee A, Vassiliki S, Gaykalova D, Hoque MO, Sidransky D, Suresh K, Izumchenko E. Somatic mitochondrial mutation discovery using ultra-deep sequencing of the mitochondrial genome reveals spatial tumor heterogeneity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Lett. 471: 49-60. (2020). PMCID: PMC6980748.
Khanna S, Graef S, Mussai F, Thomas A, Wali N, Yenidunya BG, Yuan C, Morrow B, Zhang J, Korangy F, Greten TF, Steinberg SM, Stetler-Stevenson M, Middleton G, De Santo C, Hassan R. Tumor-derived GM-CSF promotes granulocyte immunosuppression in mesothelioma patients. Clin Cancer Res. 24(12): 2859-2872. (2018). PMCID: PMC6601632.
Anagnostou V, Smith KN, Forde PM, Niknafs N, Bhattacharya R, White J, Zhang T, Adleff V, Phallen J, Wali N, Hruban C, Guthrie VB, Rodgers K, Naidoo J, Kang H, Sharfman W, Georgiades C, Verde F, Illei P, Li QK, Gabrielson E, Brock MV, Zahnow CA, Baylin SB, Scharpf R, Brahmer JR, Karchin R, Pardoll DM, Velculescu VE. Evolution of neoantigen landscape during immune checkpoint blockade in non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Discov. 7(3): 264-276. (2017). PMCID: PMC5733805.
Beury DW, Carter KA, Nelson C, Sinha P, Hanson E, Nyandjo M, Fitzgerald PJ, Majeed A, Wali N, Ostrand-Rosenberg S. Myeloid-derived suppressor cell survival and function are regulated by the transcription factor Nrf2. J Immunol. 196(8): 3470-3478. (2016). PMCID: PMC4821672.