Research Interests
Prof. Chen’s laboratory seeks
1) to understand how adhesive, mechanical, and biochemical interactions drive cell and tissue function
2) to use this knowledge to build biomimetic tissues as experimental models of disease and physiology
3) to direct tissue remodeling and regeneration
Prof. Chen is studying how the cooperation between adhesive, mechanical and biochemical signaling drives tissues to organize during development, adapt to physical stresses, and devolve during disease. Dr. Chen’s laboratory examines these questions through the development and application of innovative technologies to control how cells interact with their surroundings, advancing numerous technologies from microfluidics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), nanofabrication, mechanobiology, biomaterials, and synthetic and stem cell biology. Dr. Chen’s research applies insights from these efforts to the biology and engineering of stem cells, tissue vascularization, cardiac tissue, and cancer.
At this interface between technology, cell biology, and medicine, Chen and his lab’s mission is to provide new tools for biomedicine, to gain new insights into the control of cell and tissue function, to train scientific leaders that transcend traditional disciplines, and to demonstrate the boundless opportunities for impacting the future of research, medicine, and education.
