Jianfu Chen, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Jian-Fu (Jeff) Chen is an Associate Professor in the Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology (CCMB) at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. He received his PhD under Dr. Da-Zhi Wang in Cell & Developmental Biology Department 2008 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). He graduated with the Linda Dysktra Distinguished Dissertation Award. As a Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Chen had his postdoctoral training with Dr. Lee Niswander at University of Colorado Denver, working on brain development and microcephaly. In 2012, he received K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from NIH. In 2014, Dr. Chen became an independent investigator at the University of Georgia Athens (UGA). He moved his laboratory to USC in 2017 and re-shaped his research program on neuro-craniofacial biology and medicine.
Contact:
(323) 442-2062
Wei Zhang
Research Associate
Research Interests:
Stem cell biology, Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cells/organoids to model and treat craniofacial & neurological disorders
Zingyi Lin
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Single cell RNA-sequence and spatial transcriptomics (seqFISH) on neuro-craniofacial biology and disorders
Qing Chang
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Lymphatic function and regulation on skull and salivary gland using mouse models and volume imaging
Jingyi (Joyce) Chen
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Synovial fibroblast and sensory neuron crosstalk in TMJ arthritis and pain
Yang Shu
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Lymphatic regulation and function in TMJ arthritis and pain
Dongyi Lan
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Vascular contribution in craniosynostosis and small vessel defects
Pao-Fen Ko
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and mechanobiology in TMJ arthritis and pain.
Hongzhi Liu
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Regulation and function of craniofacial lymphatic vasculature
Wenyue Yang
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Development of human fibrocartilage organoids for temporomandibular disorders (TMD)
Xiaoya He
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Functions of fibrocartilage progenitor cells in temporomandibular joint
Liang Huang
Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Salivary gland regeneration and fibrosis using patient-derived organoids and mouse models
Yingying Wu
Visiting Scholar
Research Interests:
Lymphatic regulation and function in dementia.
Yuyueyang (Kevin) Qiu
Lab Technician
Alumni
Dr. Li Ma, Postdoctoral Fellow; Current Position: Professor, Zhejiang University, China.
Dr. Supawadee Jariyasakulroj, Graduate student (2019–2024)
Dr. Mei Yang, Postdoctoral Fellow (2014-2019); Current position: Principal Investigator at Yunan University, P.R. China.
Dr. Silu Yang, Postdoctoral Fellow (2014-2017); Current position: Principal Investigator at Beigene (Beijing, China) Inc.
Dr. Qiang (Eric) Shao, Postdoctoral Fellow (2014-2019); Current position: Research Scientist at Gladstone Institute for Neurological Disease, UCSF, USA.
Binbin Li, Postdoctoral Fellow (2022)
Can Wang, Postdoctoral Fellow (2022)
Dr. Stephanie Herrlinger, Graduate Student (2014-2019); Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University, USA.
Dr. Chen Liang, Graduate Student (2015-2020); Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern University, USA.
Jotham Sadan, Research Technician II (2022)
Dinqi Xu, Masters Student in Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine