University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States
Dr. Lee H. Chen MD PhD, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Francisco. Commencing his academic journey within the PhD program of Cell and Molecular Biology at Duke University in 2012, he later specialized in brain tumor research. His focus has centered on unraveling the genomic landscape of pediatric brainstem gliomas and leveraging the distinct epigenetic signatures of these subtypes to enhance prognostication and classification methods.
His endeavors led to the identification of oncogenic mutations in the PPM1D gene, a discovery published in Nature Genetics (June 2014). Integrating genomic data with genome-wide DNA methylation profiles, he pinpointed unique hypermethylated and hypomethylated patient subsets associated with specific mutational signatures, including mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase genes and the histone variant H3.3.
Collaborating with fellow researchers, Dr. Chen curated a cohort of over 100 brainstem gliomas with diverse histologies and grades. Employing comprehensive genomic and epigenomic tools, he delineated distinct methylation profiles specific to H3.3-mutated brain tumors localized in either the pons or medulla. These findings, published in Nature Communications (June 2020), highlighted significant differences in gene expression, including immune activation markers.
Joining Dr. Joseph Costello's team at the University of California, San Francisco in the fall of 2021, Dr. Chen continues his contributions to brain tumor research. Focusing on hypermutators in brain tumors exacerbated by Temozolomide chemotherapy, he explores spatially mapped tumor samples to decipher tumor evolution mechanisms and microenvironmental interactions. His multifaceted expertise in bioinformatics, molecular biology, and his medical background drives his commitment to unraveling tumorigenesis pathways, ultimately aiming to design treatments and therapies for the advance of science and healthcare.
