Overview

The Gene Editing and Cellular Engineering Laboratory led by David (Chun-Wei) D. Chen, Ph.D., explores how genomic, epigenomic and metabolomic regulators and their complex networks drive cancer development and response to treatment. Dr. Chen's team combines advanced CRISPR-based technologies with multi-omics approaches to uncover new therapies, particularly for leukemia and other hard-to-treat cancers.

Leukemias and other hard-to-treat cancers are major health challenges worldwide. Atypical gene expression, disrupted metabolism and compromised genome integrity are common features of these diseases. Dr. Chen's lab studies normal and diseased genes to develop precise therapies.

A key focus of the lab is the creative use of CRISPR-based gene-editing tools. These tools map gene function and find therapeutic vulnerabilities. The lab also pioneers new drug discovery pipelines that combine CRISPR technologies with structural biology and computational simulations.

Our research is advancing what we know about how cancer develops and helping us discover new drug targets. The goal is to improve outcomes for patients with leukemia and other cancers.

Focus areas

• High-throughput functional genetic screening.
• High-resolution gene tiling and drug discovery.
• Precision gene editing and engineering.
• Metabolic networks and epigenetic mechanisms in cancers.