Special Interview with Dr. Wafik S. El-Deiry — New insights into the potential role of new technologies in overcoming cancer drug resistance in the future
On October 23, 2025, the editorial office of Cancer Drug Resistance (CDR) had the honor of interviewing Dr. Wafik S. El-Deiry, a member of the journal’s Editorial Board. In this interview, Dr. El-Deiry shared his profound insights into cancer immunotherapy and targeted therapy, emphasizing the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing cancer research. He also discussed the frontiers of oncology, reflected on the significance of the 2025 Nobel Prize awarded to the discoverers of Treg cells for the development of tumor immunology, and offered his perspective on the principles researchers should uphold when applying CRISPR/Cas9 technology in scientific exploration.
Watch the following video to learn more about Dr. El-Deiry's insights:
Interview Questions:
1. In cancer treatment, what are the respective advantages of immunotherapy and targeted therapy, and what challenges do they face in the future?
2. In your opinion, what role has interdisciplinary collaboration played in the development of oncology?
3. What new discoveries and progress have you made recently in research on cancer drug resistance?
4. The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to the discoverers of Treg cells. What are the research advances and prospects of Treg cells in cancer therapy?
5. Has the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the study of tumor drug resistance reached a mature stage, and which findings have already been translated into clinical cancer therapies?
About Dr. Wafik S. El-Deiry:
Dr. Wafik S. El-Deiry is Associate Dean for Oncologic Sciences at the Warren Alpert Medical School, Director of the Cancer Center at Brown University, and Director of the Joint Program in Cancer Biology at Brown University and affiliated hospitals. Previously, he served as Deputy Director & Program Leader at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Rose Dunlap Professor of Medicine & Chief of Hematology/Oncology, and Interim Director at Penn State Cancer Institute.
Dr. El-Deiry has made significant contributions to cell death signaling and understanding tumor sensitivity to chemotherapy, including the discovery of TRAIL death receptor 5 (DR5) as a p53 target and mediator of extrinsic cell death after DNA damage.
He has authored over 450 publications, edited 5 books, serves as an NCI grant reviewer, has been a member of the ACS Council, lectures widely, and is a highly cited researcher. Dr. El-Deiry was named one of America's Top Oncologists by the Consumer Research Council of America in 2008 and 2009.
Editor: Fangyuan Cao
Production Editor: Ting Xu
Respectfully Submitted by the Journal Editorial Office of Cancer Drug Resistance
