Chun-Liang Chen, Ph.D.
Professor
My research is to bridge basic biomedical science and personalized patient care. I am currently utilizing single-cell omics approaches to study heterogeneity in circulating tumor-related cells (e.g., circulating tumor cells (CTCs), hybrid tumor cells and immune cells), for prostate or breast cancer progression, detection, diagnosis, and therapy. Since 2015, I have served as the Deputy Director of CPRIT-funded BioAnalytics and Single-Cell Core (BASiC), a cutting-edge single-cell analysis facility. Development of cancer starts with rare single initiating and stem cells. Lately, we have found circulating hybrid tumor cells in the blood of advanced prostate cancer patients, that evade immune surveillance for metastasis. Integrative single-cell approaches reveal driver mutations, transcriptional signatures and proteomic and epigenetic modifications in tumor recurrence or metastasis. Recently, I joined the School of Nursing and serve as the Director of Biobehavior Laboratory, to direct omics research for underlying mechanisms of stress-, trauma-, aging-, metabolism-, addiction- and cancer-related diseases. Data showed that patients are highly heterogeneous in the response to medical treatments and interventions. The advanced single-cell omics will shed new light on the development of biomarkers for diseases and intervention response, so achieve the goals of personalized patient care.
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Professional Background
Education
- 2010 - MA - Christian Study - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, IL
- 1998 - PhD - Entomology - University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
- 1996 - MS - Entomology - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL
- 1987 - MS - Entomology - National Chung-Hsing University, Taiwan
- 1985 - BS - Entomology - National Chung-Hsing University, Taiwan
Training
- 2004 - Postdoctoral Fellow - Gene Therapy - The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
- 2000 - Postdoctoral Fellow - Molecular Genetics - The Ohio State University
Highlights
Licensure and Certifications
1997, Certificate of Beckman Institute Symposium on Bioinformatics, Structure, and Function, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
HONORS AND AWARDS
- 2019, AACR Minority & MSI Fac. Scholar in Cancer Research Awards
- 2014, MGaP region 4 NCI Early Career Cancer Health Disparity Researcher Scholarship
- 1996, University of Illinois Sigma Xi Travel Award
- 1994, University of Illinois Graduate Travel Support Grant
Appointments
- 2023-Present - Professor tenured - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
- 2023-Present - Director of Biobehavior Laboratory - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
- 8/2018 - Associate Professor/Research - UTHSCSA
- 11/2011 - Assistant Professor/Research - UTHSCSA
- 6/2014 - Deputy Director of Bioanalytics and Single-Cell Core (BASiC) - UTHSCSA
- 2/2020 - The recruitment Chair of Personalized Molecular Medicine Program - UTHSCSA
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- Instruction & Training
- Research & Grants
- Service
- Publications