Ethan Chen

Ethan Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University (TTU), where he has been since 2022. He previously held positions at Delta State University (2020–2022) and the University of California Riverside (2011–2020 as Postdoc and Project Scientist). He earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from UC Riverside (2011), an M.S. in Biotechnology from National Cheng Kung University (2004), and a B.S. in Life Science from Tzu-Chi University (2002).

His research focuses on tumor immunity, tumor stem cells, and cancer metabolism. Key areas include understanding how tumor stem cells evade immune surveillance, identifying therapeutic targets through omics data, and exploring sex differences in immune responses. His lab develops therapies targeting tumor stem cells and investigates the interplay between hormones, metabolism, and cancer progression.

Ethan teaches advanced courses in cancer biology and immunology at TTU, including BIOL 4307 Cancer Biology and BIOL 5306 Advanced Cancer Biology. He has secured multiple grants, including a 2024 NCI R03 award and NIGMS R16 support. His lab website is https://ethankchen.wixsite.com/chenlab.

Notable contributions include studies on prolactin’s role in tumor suppression, miRNA-mediated oncogenesis, and the metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells. His work bridges basic research and translational medicine, aiming to improve cancer therapies and patient outcomes.