People

Meet the Principal Investigator

Chuo Chen Ph.D.

Chuo Chen Ph.D.

Chuo Chen was born and grew up in Taipei, Taiwan ROC. Fascinated by the beautiful structure of vitamin B12 that Professor Tse-Lok Ho put on the blackboard in his first organic chemistry class, he decided to pursue research in chemistry as a career. He was then introduced to real-world chemical research by Professor Tien-Yau Luh during his last year at National Taiwan University. After finishing the two-year mandatory military service, he went to Harvard to study natural product synthesis with Professor Matthew Shair and got his first taste of research in chemical biology. He then went to learn how to apply his knowledge in chemistry to study biology from Professor Stuart Schreiber. He began his independent career at UT Southwestern Medical Center in 2004 and is now a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and a Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar in Biomedical Research. He is also a co-founder of ImmuneSensor Therapeutics.

Chuo has diverse interests in chemical and biological research. He exploited the power of photochemistry and radical chemistry in his early work to solve problems associated with the synthesis of complex natural products. Examples include applying photo-Nazarov cyclization to nakiterpiosin synthesis and mangenese-mediated oxidative radical cyclization to massadine synthesis. He is now seeking to build an enzyme-based platform for catalyst development.

Chuo’s research is also heavily influenced by the new biology discovered in his colleagues’ labs at UT Southwestern. He worked with Professor Lawrence Lum (now at Loxo Oncology) to develop the first small-molecule Wnt inhibitors. He also worked with Professor James (Zhijian) Chen to elucidate the molecular structure of cGAMP. He is now learning various tools in molecular and cell biology to study the Wnt and cGAS-STING signaling pathways.

In his spare time, Chuo likes to cook and bake with his wife and his children. He also tries to learn R and Python to prove that he is not an old dog yet. However, he is not a good coder and has never been a successful gardener.

All the wonderful scientists that make things happen

Postdoctoral Research Fellows

Yong Lu Ph.D.

Peking University
Advisor: Zhen Yang
Email
214-648-8925

Yong Lu Ph.D.

Research Staffs

Liping Li

Senior Research Associate
Email
214-648-8925

Liping Li

Qian Wang

Senior Research Associate
Email
214-648-8925

Qian Wang

Lab Alumni

    Xiao Wang

    2006–2012
    B.S., Peking University
    Advisor: Prof. Jiaxi Xu
    Current: Senior Scientist, Merck

    Chen Zhu

    2013
    Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Guo-Qiang Lin
    Current: Professor, Suzhou University

    Chengwei Zhang

    2015–2016
    Ph.D. Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Chaozhong Li

    Fei Tan

    2019–2020
    Ph.D. Sichuan University
    Advisor: Prof. Xiaoming Feng

    Heping Shi

    2010–2017
    Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Biao Jiang

    Jen-Chieh Hsieh

    2008
    Ph.D., National Tsing Hua University
    Advisor: Prof. Chien-Hong Cheng

    Jianming Lu

    2005–2011
    Ph.D., Nankai University
    Advisor: Prof. Jin-Pei Cheng

    Jibao Xia

    2010–2015
    Ph.D. Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Shu-Li You
    Current: Professor, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics

    Jing Li

    2013–2015
    Ph.D., Peking University Health Science Center
    Advisor: Prof. Yanxing Jia

    Lei Han

    2016–2019
    Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Biao Jiang

    Lin You

    2016 - 2021
    Ph.D., Peking University
    Advisor: Prof. Zhen Yang
    Current: Research Investigator, Incyte

    Qi Wei

    2015–2018
    Ph.D. Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Shengming Ma

    Qiaoling Wang

    2006–2011
    Ph.D., Lanzhou University
    Advisor: Prof. Xuegong She

    Saptarshi De

    2013–2014
    Ph.D., Wayne State University
    Advisor: Prof. Jim Rigby
    Current: Principal Investigator, DuPont

    Shuanhu Gao

    2007–2010
    Ph.D., Lanzhou University
    Advisor: Prof. Yong-Qiang Tu
    Current: Professor, Department of Chemistry, East China Normal University

    Xianghui Tan

    2004–2008
    Ph.D., University of Science and Technology of China
    Advisor: Prof. Qing-Xiang Guo
    Current: Chief Technology Officer, ChemPacific Corporation

    Xiaolei Wang

    2011–2015
    Ph.D. Lanzhou University
    Advisor: Prof. Xuegong She
    Current: Professor, Department of Chemistry, Lanzhou University

    Yuanwei Dai

    2015–2017
    Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Biao Yu

    Yuyong Ma

    2013–2015

    Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Biao Yu

    Zhiqiang Ma

    2007–2015
    Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
    Advisor: Prof. Hongbin Zhai
    Current: Professor, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology

    Benjamin Kernen

    2015
    Summer Intern from University of North Texas

    Julian Maceren

    2019
    Amgen Scholar from Rochester University

    Khoa Nguyen

    2012
    QP-SURF student from the University of Texas at Arlington

    Lauren Garofalo

    2010
    QP-SURF student from Baylor University

    Matthew Bedard

    2015
    Summer Intern from Vanderbilt University

    Nyle Sharif

    2019
    QP-SURF student from Northeastern University

    Phillip Steininger

    2008
    QP-SURF student from Washington University

    Rae McFarlin

    2009
    QP-SURF student from Texas Woman’s University

    Vivian Shaw

    2006–2007
    Summer Intern from the University of Pennsylvania

    Adrian Bustos

    2011
    STARS student from Talented and Gifted School at Townview

    Bao (Manny) Nguyen

    2010
    STARS student from Haltom High School

    Brian Chhor

    2008
    STARS student from Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, The School for the Talented and Gifted

    John La

    2012
    STARS student from the School of Science and Engineering Magnet

    Karen De La Fuenta

    2009
    STARS student from the Science and Engineering Magnet at Townview