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College of Veterinary Medicine

PVM Directory / Michael K. Wendt

Michael K. Wendt, PhD

Michael K. Wendt, PhD

Department Head, Basic Medical Sciences
Professor, Basic Medical Sciences

Department of Basic Medical Sciences
Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine
625 Harrison Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907

765-494-7348
mwendt@purdue.edu

Department of Basic Medical Sciences | Lab Website | LinkedIn Profile

About

Dr. Wendt is a professor and head of the Basic Medical Sciences Department. Dr. Wendt earned his bachelor's
degree from St. Norbert College in 2002. After completing his graduate studies at the Medical College of Wisconsin
in 2007, Dr. Wendt became an American Cancer Society fellow with Dr. William Schiemann at the University of
Colorado Cancer Center. In 2010 Dr. Wendt moved with the Schiemann lab to Case Western Reserve University
where he received a K99/R00 transition award from the NCI. Dr. Wendt joined the faculty of Purdue University as an
Assistant Professor in 2014. In 2023 Dr. Wendt was recruited to the University of Iowa where he was the Arlene
Holden Professor of Breast Cancer Research and leader of the Experimental Therapeutics program within the
Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 2025 Dr. Wendt was recruited back to Purdue as Head of the Basic
Medical Sciences Department.

Education

2007 - PhD | Medical College of Wisconsin
2002 - BS | St. Norbert College

Experience

2025 | Professor and Head, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University
2023–2025 | Arlene Holden Professor of Breast Cancer Research, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa
2019–2023 | Associate Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University
2014–2019 | Assistant Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University
2010–2013 | Senior Research Associate, Case Western Reserve University
2007–2010 | Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Colorado

Areas of Interest

  • Dr. Wendt’s research program focuses on understanding and targeting metastatic breast cancer. Research in the Wendt lab is focused on understanding and targeting the molecular mechanisms necessary for cancer cells to exit the primary tumor environment, metastasize, and acquire resistance to currently used targeted molecular therapies. More information can be found at wendtlab.com.