NIH Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series

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The NIH Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series, colloquially known as WALS, is the highest-profile lecture program at the NIH. Lectures are held on most Wednesdays from September through June from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET in Lipsett Amphitheater, Building 10, on the NIH Bethesda campus.

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Hiding in Plain Sight: The Opportunity to Dramatically Reduce Cigarette Smoking and Chronic Disease in America

Andrew Hyland, PhD
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET

Andrew Hyland from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York will describe cigarette use patterns over time, present research identifying cigarette smoking as a major contributor to chronic disease and describe factors increase our understanding why people smoke and what reduces cigarette smoking in the population. He will also highlight the PATH Study, a key component of the national data collection infrastructure, that has made significant scientific advances to understand the nature of tobacco use and its impacts.

The TGFb Superfamily – How Understanding Mechanism Leads to Therapeutic Opportunities

Tom B Thompson , PhD
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET

The focus of my laboratory is divided into two areas of investigation where I study the structural and functional aspects of TGFbeta family signaling and regulation along with the structures of apolipoproteins and how this relates to HDL particles and other related biological functions. The laboratory uses a combination of structural techniques including X-ray crstallography, small angle X-ray scattering coupled with biophysical and biochemical experiments.

Clinical Encounters in Neurogenetics: Taking Cues from Single Patients to Discover Genes, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Approaches

Carsten G. Bönnemann, M.D.
NINDS
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET
Astute Clinician Lecture

Dr. Bonnemann received his MD from Freiburg University, Germany. He completed pediatric training and venia legendi (Habilitation) in Germany. Residency in pediatric neurology at MGH/Harvard was followed by postdoctoral work with Dr. Louis Kunkel at Children's Hospital Boston working on the molecular genetics of muscular dystrophy. In 2002 he joined the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia/University of Pennsylvania as Assistant Professor, Co-Director of the Neuromuscular Program, and Director of the Neurogenetics Clinic.