Dr. John Wingard is a distinguished hematologic oncologist and internationally recognized leader in bone marrow transplantation who served as Price Eminent Scholar and Professor of Medicine at the University of Florida Health Sciences Center. After earning his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1973, he completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Tennessee and oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins before beginning his academic career. He established his reputation at Johns Hopkins University and Emory University, where he directed the Bone Marrow Transplant Program, before joining the University of Florida in 1996 to lead what became Florida's longest-established bone marrow transplant center. Throughout his distinguished career at UF, he served as Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program, Hematologic Malignancy Service, and as Deputy Director of the UF Health Cancer Center where he played a pivotal role in securing NCI designation for the institution.
Dr. Wingard's research has profoundly influenced the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation through continuous NIH funding since 1999, supporting his investigations into optimizing transplant outcomes and reducing complications for patients with hematologic malignancies. His scholarly contributions include over 450 peer-reviewed publications cited more than 77,000 times, establishing him among the top 1% of most-cited researchers in his field during 2018 and 2019 as recognized by Clarivate Analytics. He pioneered numerous clinical approaches to managing acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and other blood disorders through stem cell transplantation while developing innovative strategies for preventing and treating opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. His leadership as Chair of the National Marrow Donor Program and the NHLBI/NCI Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network enabled large-scale collaborative research that established national benchmarks for quality and innovation in transplantation medicine.
Beyond his research contributions, Dr. Wingard has been instrumental in shaping the field through leadership positions including Past President of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. He mentored scores of faculty, fellows, and medical students who now lead programs across the country, inspiring them to achieve the highest standards of science and medicine through his dedication and expertise. His commitment to advancing transplantation medicine through rigorous clinical trials and collaborative networks has cemented his legacy as a transformative figure in the treatment of blood cancers and disorders. Although retiring from active clinical practice in 2023, Dr. Wingard's influence continues through his extensive scholarly record and the enduring impact of his work on patient care standards worldwide.
