Omar Abdel-Wahab
· ProfessorCornell University · Pharmacology and Chemical Biology
Active 2003–2026
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About
Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, is the Chair of the Molecular Pharmacology Program at Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI) and an Attending Physician on the Leukemia Service in the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He studies the functional genomics of hematopoietic malignancies, focusing on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying blood cancers. Dr. Abdel-Wahab holds the Evnin Family Chair in Molecular Pharmacology and has been recognized for his significant contributions to cancer research, including being elected to the National Academy of Medicine. His laboratory research explores innovative approaches such as cellular immunotherapy for treating aggressive forms of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). He is also involved in investigating the genetic and molecular basis of leukemia, including the role of splicing factor mutations and their implications for targeted therapies.
Selected publications
Pirtobrutinib in relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies (BRUIN): a phase 1/2 study
The Lancet · 2021-03-01 · 453 citations
articleOpen accessPharmacologic modulation of RNA splicing enhances anti-tumor immunity
Cell · 2021-06-24 · 277 citations
articleOpen accessCorrespondingImproved prediction of immune checkpoint blockade efficacy across multiple cancer types
Nature Biotechnology · 2021-11-01 · 269 citations
articleOpen accessInherited resilience to clonal hematopoiesis by modifying stem cell RNA regulation
Science · 2026-01-01 · 4 citations
articleOpen accessSomatic mutations that increase the fitness of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) drive their expansion in clonal hematopoiesis (CH) and predispose individuals to blood cancers. Population variation in the growth rate and potential of mutant clones suggests that genetic factors may confer resilience against CH. Here, we identified a noncoding regulatory variant, rs17834140-T, that protects against CH and myeloid malignancies by selectively down-regulating the RNA-binding protein MSI2 in HSCs. By mo…
Mutant p53 promotes clonal hematopoiesis by generating a chronic inflammatory microenvironment
Journal of Clinical Investigation · 2025-12-30 · 3 citations
articleOpen accessOlder individuals with somatic TP53 mutations manifest clonal hematopoiesis (CH) and are at high risk of developing myeloid neoplasms. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we show that inflammatory stress confers a competitive advantage to p53 mutant hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) by activating the NLRP1 inflammasome and increasing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, inhibiting WT HSPC fitness in a paracrine fashion. During ag…
Labs
The Omar Abdel-Wahab LabPI
Awards & honors
- Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research
- National Academy of Medicine
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