Dongxing Zha, Ph.D.
ORBIT Platform
About Dr. Zha
Dongxing Zha, Ph.D., is a seasoned drug development leader dedicated to the translation of immune-oncology discoveries into innovative anti-cancer therapies. He leads the Oncology Research for Biologics and Immunotherapy Translation (ORBIT) platform, which is a unique group of clinicians, researchers and drug development experts working collaboratively to develop biologic and cell-based therapies. The ultimate goal of the ORBIT platform is to make MD Anderson the pharmaceutical partner of choice for the development of innovative biologics, which could help patients to prevail the cancer diseases.
Affiliations and Related Links
Fighting Cancer: It's Personal
What makes the Moon Shots Program stand out?
With the ORBIT platform, we're integrating the strengths of traditional scientific discovery from academic researchers with industrial drug discovery expertise. The combined advantages will accelerate the pace of translating novel discoveries from lab into anti-cancer therapies in clinic.
What motivates and excites you?
I'm motivated by the opportunity to discover innovative anti-cancer therapies, and bring new treatments to patients. Our long term goal is to bring cures to cancer patients and to contribute the mission of Making Cancer History.
What do you hope to accomplish?
I would like to build a sustainable biologics discovery and
development pipeline. With this, we can continue to deliver novel
antibody discovery programs into the proof-of-biology development
stage. Then, we will collaborate with pharmaceutical partners to
translate these discoveries into new therapies to help patients to
prevail over cancers.
What makes your fight against cancer personal?
Cancer is a horrible disease and has affected many families and friends. My father also died of cancer, so I've joined the mission of Making Cancer History®. I'm fighting to bring cures to patients who, like my father, desperately need them.
What's your Moon Shot focus?
I'm the leader of the ORBIT platform, which is designed to accelerate monoclonal antibody discovery and to translate these novel discoveries into innovative anti-cancer therapies.
What else do you want people to know about you and your work?
Our efforts require teamwork, a lot of resources and quite a bit of time to complete. In order to bring new therapies to patients, we need a lot of financial help. We hope to team up with different organizations so that together we can fight and beat cancer.