image: Headshot of Alana Welm, PhD
Credit: Emily Bade, Huntsman Cancer Institute
Alana Welm, PhD, has been named chair of the Department of Oncological Sciences in the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah (the U), effective immediately.
As chair, Welm will lead efforts to advance the department’s academic mission and scientific excellence, while playing a critical role in strategic leadership at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Reporting to the dean of the medical school and working in close collaboration with the CEO of Huntsman Cancer Institute, Welm is charged with developing and implementing a shared vision for the future of the department that spans research, education, and clinical impact.
In this role, Welm is responsible for guiding the department’s research strategy in coordination with University of Utah Health and Huntsman Cancer Institute leadership, supporting faculty in securing external, peer-reviewed grant funding from the National Institutes of Health and other organizations, and ensuring continued investment in high-impact basic and translational discovery. She will oversee the department’s academic and administrative operations, including graduate education programs, faculty recruitment and retention, and resource management.
With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Welm will help position the department for national distinction—fostering a culture of excellence and teamwork across the U, Huntsman Cancer Institute, and the broader scientific community.
“Dr. Welm brings a rare combination of scientific vision, collaborative leadership, and deep commitment to mentorship,” says Sam Finlayson, MD, interim dean of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah. “Her proven track record in pioneering translational research, securing significant external funding, and building strong interdisciplinary teams makes her uniquely suited to lead the Department of Oncological Sciences into its next era of excellence.”
Welm is senior director of basic science at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of Oncological Sciences at the U. Welm's labs study breast cancer metastasis and have advanced high-impact studies to clinical settings that have illuminated understanding of breast cancer progression and treatment. She completed her PhD in cell and molecular biology at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas and went on to conduct postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco. Welm started her laboratory at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the U in 2007.
“Alana is an extraordinary leader, not only here in Utah, but also internationally recognized as a scholar of the highest caliber,” said Mary Beckerle, PhD, CEO of Huntsman Cancer Institute and distinguished professor of biology at the U. “She is a star and her track record of partnering with students, researchers, patients, clinicians, and more to build teams that make an impact is without peer. I am thrilled to see her step into this position and to see her incredible impact applied to taking the Department of Oncological Sciences to even greater heights.”
Welm received the University of Utah Distinguished Research Award and received American Association for Cancer Research Outstanding Investigator Award for Breast Cancer Research in 2023. She also serves as the president of the Metastasis Research Society.
“I am deeply honored to step into this role and look forward to the opportunity to lead such a dedicated and innovative community,” Welm said. “Over the past 18 years, I’ve proudly witnessed the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute gain increasing international recognition for exceptional scientific achievement, patient care, and community impact. I am committed to fostering a culture of excellence as we train the next generation of scholars and cultivate groundbreaking advancements in cancer research.”
Brad Cairns, PhD, served as chair of the Department of Oncological Sciences prior to Welm’s appointment. He is lauded for exceptional contributions to the department, including recruitment of high-impact researchers, creating a collaborative environment that enables those researchers to succeed, and advancing partnerships with clinical teams to enhance translational impact of laboratory findings. Cairns will remain as an integral leader at both the U and Huntsman Cancer Institute and as a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator.
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering a cancer-free frontier to all communities in the area we serve. We have more than 300 open clinical trials and 250 research teams studying cancer at any given time. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.
About University of Utah Health
University of Utah Health is the state’s only academic health care system, providing leading-edge and compassionate care for a referral area that encompasses 10 percent of the US, including Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and much of Nevada. A hub for health sciences research and education in the region, U of U Health has a $492 million research enterprise and trains the majority of Utah’s physicians, and more than 1,670 scientists and 1,460 health care providers each year at its Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Schools of Dentistry and Medicine. With more than 20,000 employees, the system includes 12 community clinics and five hospitals: University Hospital, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, University Orthopaedic Center, and the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. For 15 straight years, U of U Health has ranked in the top-tier of US academic medical centers in the rigorous Vizient Quality and Accountability Study.