Dr. Zhijian Chen is a preeminent molecular biologist whose pioneering discoveries have fundamentally transformed our understanding of cellular signaling mechanisms and innate immunity. He currently serves as an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and holds the George L. MacGregor Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center where he is Professor of Molecular Biology and Director of the Inflammation Research Center. Born in Anxi County, China in 1966, Dr. Chen completed his undergraduate studies at Fujian Normal University before earning his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University at Buffalo in 1991. Following postdoctoral training at the Salk Institute and a period in the biotechnology industry where he contributed to the discovery of the proteasome inhibitor VELCADE for multiple myeloma treatment, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 1997.
Dr. Chen's groundbreaking research has uncovered fundamental mechanisms by which cells detect pathogens and mount appropriate immune responses. His discovery of the Mitochondrial Antiviral Signaling protein (MAVS) revealed a critical connection between mitochondrial function and immune defense against RNA viruses including influenza and Ebola. Most significantly, in 2012, Dr. Chen identified cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) as the primary cytosolic DNA sensor that activates innate immune responses through the second messenger cyclic GMP-AMP. This seminal work explaining how cells detect foreign and self DNA has become foundational to immunology, with profound implications for understanding autoimmune diseases like lupus and opened new avenues for developing vaccine adjuvants and cancer immunotherapies.
As a scientific leader of the highest caliber, Dr. Chen has shaped the trajectory of immunology research worldwide, with his discoveries forming the basis for an entire field of nucleic acid sensing and immune activation. His laboratory continues to advance our understanding of cellular defense mechanisms, with numerous high-impact publications that have collectively earned thousands of citations and inspired vast research efforts across the globe. Dr. Chen's transformative contributions have been recognized with the most prestigious awards in biomedicine including the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, and the National Academy of Sciences Award in Molecular Biology. His ongoing work promises to further illuminate the molecular mechanisms of immune recognition and pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches to combat infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.
