Dr. Lieping Chen is a distinguished immunologist whose pioneering work has revolutionized the field of cancer immunotherapy. He currently serves as the United Technologies Corporation Professor in Cancer Research and Professor of Immunobiology, Dermatology, and of Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Chen obtained his medical degree from Fujian Medical College in 1982, followed by a master's in immunology from Peking Union Medical College in 1986, and received a Ph.D. in pathology and laboratory medicine from Drexel University in 1989. His career trajectory includes postdoctoral research at the University of Washington, industrial research at Bristol Myers Squibb, and academic positions at the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University before joining Yale. Dr. Chen has established himself as a leading innovator through his scientific founding of multiple biotechnology companies, including Amplimmune (acquired by MedImmune in 2013), NextCure, and Normunity.
Dr. Chen's seminal contribution to science was the 1999 discovery of B7-H1, now universally recognized as PD-L1, while he was at the Mayo Clinic. His groundbreaking research demonstrated that human tumors express high levels of PD-L1 and that this interaction with PD-1 causes T cell exhaustion, thereby enabling tumors to evade immune surveillance. Most significantly, Dr. Chen established that blocking this pathway with monoclonal antibodies restores T cell function and enhances anti-tumor immunity, providing the critical foundation for a new class of cancer immunotherapies. This work was hailed as the number one scientific breakthrough of 2013 by Science magazine and directly catalyzed the development of PD-1 inhibitors that have transformed cancer treatment paradigms worldwide. Today, these therapies represent a standard treatment approach for numerous malignancies, offering durable responses for patients who previously had limited options.
Beyond his fundamental discoveries, Dr. Chen has been instrumental in shaping the modern landscape of immuno-oncology through his leadership and mentorship. His exceptional contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors including the William B. Coley Award, the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize, and election to both the National Academy of Sciences and Taiwan's Academia Sinica. Dr. Chen continues to advance the field through his ongoing research at Yale Cancer Center, where he co-directs the cancer immunology program, and as a visiting professor with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at Oxford. His current work focuses on identifying novel immune checkpoints and developing next-generation immunotherapies aimed at overcoming resistance mechanisms. As his laboratory continues to translate basic discoveries into clinical applications, Dr. Chen's legacy as a visionary in cancer immunology grows ever more profound, with his contributions continuing to save lives and redefine cancer treatment standards across the globe.
