Jennifer A. Woyach, MD
Jennifer A. Woyach, MD, a hematology cancer expert and researcher who has been with The Ohio State for more than 12 years, has been named Director of the Division of Hematology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC–James). Her research focuses on developing therapies that produce lasting remissions for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and helping patients overcome resistance to those therapies.
“I am incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to follow the legacy of leadership in hematology at Ohio State and lead our exceptional team of faculty and staff,” said Dr. Woyach. “Our program’s mission is to provide world-class care for our patients and perform pioneering basic, translational, and clinical research that will improve the lives of patients with blood diseases and hematologic malignancies.”
David Cohn, MD, MBA, FACHE
“We are thrilled that Dr. Woyach will be leading and advancing the transformative and patient-centered work of our hematology division,” said David Cohn, MD, MBA, FACHE, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer of the OSUCCC–James. “We are grateful for the previous leadership of Yiping Yang, MD, PhD, who directed the division since 2019.”
Research Focus
Over the years, Dr. Woyach contributed to research at The Ohio State that led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of therapies including the first-in-class Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib, which began a revolutionary shift in the treatment of CLL. In addition, Dr. Woyach has been integral in leading research for the second-generation BTK inhibitor acalabrutinib.
She also led an effort that identified the most common acquired mutations that cause CLL to resist drugs such as ibrutinib and acalabrutinib. Then she ran studies to identify drugs that may overcome ibrutinib resistance. This work has led to clinical trials of reversible BTK inhibitors, including pirtobrutinib, which received FDA approval in 2023.
Dr. Woyach’s work has received National Institutes of Health funding and support from Pelotonia, the annual community cycling event that raises money for cancer research at the OSUCCC–James. In addition, she is one of the leaders of the Experimental Hematology Lab, which has received more than $7.61 million in Pelotonia funding over the past 6 years. Dr. Woyach also mentors predoctoral students, postdoctoral trainees, and junior faculty in basic and translational research.
Professional Experience and Training
Dr. Woyach has authored or coauthored nearly 200 articles in journals such as TheNew England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, The Lancet Oncology, Cancer Discovery, and Blood. She has shared her work at many conferences, including the American Society of Hematology, ASCO, and the International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
After receiving her undergraduate degree at the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Woyach came to The Ohio State to earn her MD and serve her internship and residency (including a year as Chief Resident). She completed her postdoctoral training in hematology and medical oncology before joining the medical faculty.
Dr. Woyach holds the D. Warren Brown Designated Chair in Leukemia Research in the Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, and serves as co-leader of the Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies Research Program at OSUCCC–James. She joined the hematology division as Assistant Professor in 2012 and moved up through the ranks to full Professor in 2020.
