As a cutting-edge researcher in immunology and HPV-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, Dr. Wieland brings deep scientific expertise to this new role. He also serves as a member of the Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology (PIIO), a comprehensive bench-to-bedside research initiative focused on harnessing the body’s immune system to fight cancer at all levels, from prevention to treatment and survivorship.
His background in tumor immunology and viral-associated malignancies is especially timely as immunotherapies and immune-based clinical trials continue to expand across all oncology, including head and neck. This perspective ensures that emerging clinical studies in head and neck cancer are grounded in the latest mechanistic understanding and aligned with the rapidly evolving landscape of immune-driven cancer therapeutics.
Dr. Wieland is a member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James and serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. In his new role, he will serve as a central liaison connecting clinicians designing clinical trials with laboratory researchers whose work may inform or complement emerging therapeutic approaches.
“The goal is to take advantage of the large patient volume that we have at The James and use it to expand our research opportunities,” Wieland explains. “By connecting clinicians who are doing clinical trials with people in the lab who have expertise and may be studying the biology of a pathway that’s being inhibited, for example, the hope is that there will be some cross-fertilization.”
As part of a broader institutional effort, each Disease-Specific Research Group nominated a Translational Research Advocate. The advocates meet monthly to discuss ongoing trials, identify operational challenges, and share solutions. “It’s interesting because we can share problems and others can tell us they’ve encountered something similar but explain how they’ve solved it,” Wieland notes. “I think it actually helps identify more systemic issues, but also, hopefully, gives some ideas for how to solve them.”
Dr. Wieland anticipates that the role will be most impactful during the early stages of clinical trial development. “Getting input from researchers early on in the process, before the protocol is written, so they can help inform early on what samples could potentially be obtained and when, will be really crucial,” he says. “I hope this lends itself to huge opportunities for collaboration.”
“As Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, as well as a head and neck surgical oncologist and scientist, I am delighted to see Dr. Wieland take on this important leadership role” states Dr. Rocco. “His combination of scientific rigor, immunologic expertise, and collaborative approach positions him uniquely well to strengthen the connections between our clinician-investigators and our research laboratories. His appointment enhances our capacity to design impactful, biologically informed clinical trials and reflects our department’s broader commitment to accelerating progress through integrated, multidisciplinary discovery”.