Lab Members

Hailing Yang, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
2011–present
HYang3@MDAnderson.org

Dr. Hailing Yang earned her Ph.D. from the UT MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Her project focuses on the treatment of ovarian cancer using kinase inhibitors.

Weiqun (Maggie) Mao, B.S.
Research Investigator
2004–present
WMao@MDAnderson.org

Ms. Mao is a Research Investigator who has been a valued member of Dr. Bast's cancer research lab at UT MD Anderson for the past 20 years. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Tongji University in Shanghai, China, before moving to the United States to pursue cancer research.

In addition to her expertise in running various assays and experiments in the lab, Ms. Mao plays a pivotal role in training new lab members, ensuring they learn proper techniques and lab safety protocols. She helps troubleshoot experiments and serves as a technical mentor for younger researchers.

Ms. Mao actively contributes to several key, ongoing research projects. She is currently investigating novel SIK2 inhibitors that may enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy in ovarian cancer and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Her research involves in vitro and in vivo studies to elucidate the mechanisms and optimize combinations/dosing to tackle chemoresistance.

Gamze Bildik Elcik, Ph.D.
Instructor
2019–present
GBildik@MDAnderson.org

Dr. Bildik received her B.S. in molecular biology and genetics from Istanbul University, Turkey, and her M.S. in reproductive biology from Koc University, where she trained in a translational research laboratory focusing on fertility preservation strategies against ovarian damage induced by chemotherapy and radiation in young female cancer survivors. She earned her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular medicine from Koc University, completing her thesis on uncovering the molecular mechanisms behind DNA damage-induced and TAp63-mediated oocyte apoptosis in the human ovary.

In 2019, Dr. Bildik joined UT MD Anderson as a TRIUMPH Postdoctoral Fellow. Since April 2024, she has been working as an Instructor. Her research focuses on overcoming MEK inhibitor resistance in low-grade serous ovarian cancer, with an emphasis on understanding autophagy-mediated drug resistance and developing more effective therapeutic strategies. She is also interested in studying rare ovarian cancers to identify novel therapeutic approaches for these understudied diseases.

Carlos Perfecto Flores Suarez
Postdoctoral Fellow
2024–present
CPFlores1@MDAnderson.org

Carlos earned his B.S. in biology from Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru. He then earned his Ph.D. in molecular physiology and biophysics from Baylor College of Medicine. Finally, Carlos joined the TRIUMPH Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in March 2024. His work focuses on the study of breast and RAS-driven cancers. His current projects aim to investigate the role of SIK2 inhibitors to enhance immunotherapy in breast cancer and to optimize the design and delivery of DIRAS3 stapled peptides in order to enhance their stability, cellular uptake and anti-cancer efficacy in RAS-derived cancers.

Cuipeng (Autumn) Qiu
Postdoctoral Fellow
2024–present
CQiu2@MDAnderson.org

Dr. Cuipeng Qiu earned her B.Med. and M.P.H. degrees in China. She obtained her Ph.D. in biological sciences at The University of Texas at El Paso in 2024. Then she joined Dr. Bast’s lab as a postdoctoral fellow in 2025. Her research focuses on identifying diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for ovarian cancer. The goal of her project is to develop a multi-biomarker panel for the early detection of ovarian cancer.

Oliver H. Wang, B.A.
Research Assistant II
2023–present
OWang@MDAnderson.org

Mr. Wang earned his bachelor's in English literature with a concentration in creative writing from Washington University in St. Louis. His work previously involved the replication of the tumor microenvironment in transgenic dual-recombinase mouse models.