معرفی
Jennifer Chen, MD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. As a physician-scientist trained in hepatology, she leads a research program focused on developing precision approaches for diagnosing and treating hepatic fibrogenesis to improve care for patients with chronic liver disease. Her laboratory investigates molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis with a particular emphasis on identifying novel antifibrotic targets.
Dr. Chen's educational background includes:
- AB in Government from Harvard College (2003)
- MD from Harvard Medical School (2009)
- Residency in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital (2012)
- Fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Massachusetts General Hospital (2016)
Dr. Chen's research focuses on hepatic fibrogenesis, the molecular process leading to end-stage liver disease. Her laboratory discovered that acid ceramidase (aCDase) is a key regulator of hepatic stellate cell activation through the YAP/TAZ signaling pathway. She has validated aCDase as an antifibrotic target using genetic and pharmacological approaches across multiple mouse models of fibrosis, including those that reproduce nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Her team has also developed gene signature scores, such as the ceramide responsiveness score, to identify patients with advanced fibrosis. Current projects include identifying upstream and downstream targets of the aCDase-YAP/TAZ pathway, developing novel aCDase inhibitors for treating hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and refining gene signature scores as biomarkers.
Analysis of Dr. Chen's publication record reveals a strong focus on liver fibrosis mechanisms, particularly the role of hepatic stellate cells and ceramide signaling. Her work bridges basic science and clinical applications, with significant contributions to understanding fibrosis pathways and developing potential therapeutic interventions. She has also conducted important research on HIV/hepatitis co-infections and maternal-child health in global settings, particularly in Botswana.
Dr. Chen is deeply committed to mentoring and has trained numerous postdoctoral fellows and post-baccalaureate trainees, with a focus on supporting individuals from groups historically underrepresented in science. She serves as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded research projects, including two recent R01 awards in 2023 focused on ceramide signaling in fibrosis regression and developing novel acid ceramidase inhibitors.
Her laboratory, the Chen Lab, is part of UCSF's Institute for Global Health Sciences and works at the highly cross-disciplinary intersection of hepatology, molecular biology, and translational medicine to address the critical unmet need for FDA-approved therapies targeting liver fibrosis.
