Chinfei Chen

Chinfei Chen is a Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and a Professor of Neurology at the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital. He serves as Associate Director of the Harvard Program in Neuroscience. His research focuses on understanding synaptic and circuit plasticity in the brain, particularly in the thalamus, and its role in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, and neuropsychiatric conditions.

Research Interests: Dr. Chen’s lab investigates how environmental experiences shape synaptic connections and circuit optimization during development. Key areas include retinogeniculate synapse refinement, thalamic circuit development, and the influence of experience, brain state, and neuromodulation on visual processing. Recent work extends to the limbic thalamus, exploring how synaptic plasticity impacts adult behaviors.

Labs/Teams: The Chen Lab at Harvard Medical School focuses on linking experience-driven plasticity to neurological disorders. Their work integrates physiological and molecular approaches to uncover mechanisms underlying circuit formation and dysfunction.