Key Documents
James K. Chen
Academic Appointments
- Assistant Professor, Chemical and Systems Biology
- Assistant Professor (By courtesy), Chemistry
- Member, Bio-X
- Member, Cancer Center
Contact Information
- Academic
Offices
Personal Information Email Tel (650) 725-3582Administrative Contact Stuart Jeung Administrative Assistant Email Tel Work (650) 736-2999
Professional Snapshot
Administrative Appointments
- Faculty Director, Stanford High-Throughput Bioscience Center (2003 - present)
Honors and Awards
- NIH Director's Pioneer Award, NIH (2008-2013)
- American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award, American Cancer Society (2008-2011)
- Brain Tumor Society Award, Brain Tumor Society/Rachel Molly Markoff Foundation (2006-2008)
- Astellas USA Foundation Award, Astella USA Foundation (2005-2006)
- Terman Fellow, Stanford University (2005-2008)
Professional Education
| A.B.: | Harvard College, Chemistry (1991) |
| Ph.D.: | Harvard University, Chemistry and Chemical Biology (1998) |
| Postdoctoral Fellow: | Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Molecular Biology and Genetics (2003) |
Postdoctoral Advisees
Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations
Web Site Links
Industry Relationships
Stanford is committed to ethical and transparent interactions with our industry partners. It is our policy to disclose payments of $5,000 or more, equity valued at $5,000 or more in a publicly traded company, or any equity in a privately held company, to physicians and scientists employed by Stanford University from companies or other commercial entities with which they interact as part of their professional activities. View Full Information
| Consulting: | Fate Therapeutics |
Scientific Focus
Current Research Interests
The Chen laboratory integrates synthetic chemistry and developmental biology to interrogate the molecular mechanisms that control embryonic patterning, tissue regeneration, and oncogenesis. Our research group is currently focused on three major areas: the identification of small-molecule and genetic regulators of Hedgehog signaling, the development of chemical technologies for perturbing and observing the molecular programs of embryonic patterning and tumorigenesis, and the study of tissue regeneration using zebrafish as a model organism.
Our interest in the Hedgehog pathway arises from its critical role in the patterning of multiple tissues such as the neural tube, craniofacial structures, limbs, and somites. Aberrant Hedgehog pathway activation in children and adults is also linked to several cancers, including those of the skin, brain, and gut. Since the cellular events that transduce the Hedgehog signal from the cell surface to the nucleus are not well understood, we are pursuing genetic and small-molecule screens for new Hedgehog pathway modulators with novel modes of action. These studies will not only provide insights into the basic mechanisms of Hedgehog signal transduction but also provide chemical leads for the development of next-generation chemotherapies and reveal new “druggable” targets within this tumor-promoting pathway.
Our laboratory is also investigating how Hedgehog signaling and other developmental pathways regulate tissue formation and regeneration in vertebrates. We use the zebrafish as a model organism for these studies, exploiting its rapid ex utero development and amenability to real-time imaging. As part of these efforts, we have developed new strategies for activating and silencing gene expression in zebrafish embryos with unprecedented spatial and temporal precision. These methods utilize chemical probes developed by our research group, including caged reagents that allow light-controlled gene silencing in whole...
Publications
- Controlling destiny through chemistry: small-molecule regulators of cell fate. ACS Chem Biol. 2010; (1): 15-34
- Versatile synthesis and rational design of caged morpholinos. J Am Chem Soc. 2009; (37): 13255-69
- Small-molecule inhibitors reveal multiple strategies for Hedgehog pathway blockade. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009; (33): 14132-7
- Converse conformational control of smoothened activity by structurally related small molecules. J Biol Chem. 2009; (31): 20876-84
- Germ cell migration in zebrafish is cyclopamine-sensitive but Smoothened-independent. Dev Biol. 2009; (2): 342-54
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