Xin Chen, Ph.D.

Xin Chen, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2018 after being in the medical field for more than 20 years. 

Dr. Chen earned his medical degree at North China Coal Medical College in 1986, followed by a master’s in pathophysiology in 1989 at Hengyang Medical College. In 2000, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Biosignal Pathophysiology at Kobe University in Kobe, Japan. He then completed a fellowship at Case Western Reserve University.  

The recipient of multiple investigator awards for research, Dr. Chen focuses his scientific efforts on developing adeno-associated virus (AAV) based gene therapy treatments for neurological diseases with the goal of translating preclinical results into clinical trials.  

• Developing AAV-based gene therapy for neurological diseases
• Engineering AAV vector to improve efficacy/specificity and reduce immune responses
• Optimizing manufacturing processes to improve AAV vector quantity and quality
• Translating preclinical results of gene therapy into clinical trials

Featured Publications

Intrathecal AAV9/AP4M1 gene therapy for hereditary spastic paraplegia 50 shows safety and efficacy in preclinical studies.

Chen X, Dong T, Hu Y, De Pace R, Mattera R, Eberhardt K, Ziegler M, Pirovolakis T, Sahin M, Bonifacino JS, Ebrahimi-Fakhari D, Gray SJ, J Clin Invest 2023 May 133 10

Biodistribution of Adeno-Associated Virus Gene Therapy Following Cerebrospinal Fluid-Directed Administration.

Chen X, Lim DA, Lawlor MW, Dimmock D, Vite CH, Lester T, Tavakkoli F, Sadhu C, Prasad S, Gray SJ, Hum Gene Ther 2023 Feb 34 3-4 94-111

AAV9/MFSD8 gene therapy is effective in preclinical models of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 7 disease.

Chen X, Dong T, Hu Y, Shaffo FC, Belur NR, Mazzulli JR, Gray SJ, J Clin Invest 2022 Jan

Pre-clinical Gene Therapy with AAV9/AGA in Aspartylglucosaminuria Mice Provides Evidence for Clinical Translation.

Chen X, Snanoudj-Verber S, Pollard L, Hu Y, Cathey SS, Tikkanen R, Gray SJ, Mol Ther 2021 03 29 3 989-1000

Long-term progression of retinal degeneration in a preclinical model of CLN7 Batten disease as a baseline for testing clinical therapeutics.

Rowe AA, Chen X, Nettesheim ER, Issioui Y, Dong T, Hu Y, Messahel S, Kayani SN, Gray SJ, Wert KJ, EBioMedicine 2022 Nov 85 104314

Knockout of the CMP-Sialic Acid Transporter SLC35A1 in Human Cell Lines Increases Transduction Efficiency of Adeno-Associated Virus 9: Implications for Gene Therapy Potency Assays.

Banning A, Zakrzewicz A, Chen X, Gray SJ, Tikkanen R, Cells 2021 May 10 5

Hemophilia A and B mice, but not VWF^-/-mice, display bone defects in congenital development and remodeling after injury.

Taves S, Sun J, Livingston EW, Chen X, Amiaud J, Brion R, Hannah WB, Bateman TA, Heymann D, Monahan PE, Sci Rep 2019 10 9 1 14428

Protein kinase inhibitor ? reciprocally regulates osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation by downregulating leukemia inhibitory factor.

Chen X, Hausman BS, Luo G, Zhou G, Murakami S, Rubin J, Greenfield EM Stem Cells 2013 Dec 31 12 2789-99

Stimulation of macrophage TNFalpha production by orthopaedic wear particles requires activation of the ERK1/2/Egr-1 and NF-kappaB pathways but is independent of p38 and JNK.

Beidelschies MA, Huang H, McMullen MR, Smith MV, Islam AS, Goldberg VM, Chen X, Nagy LE, Greenfield EM J. Cell. Physiol. 2008 Dec 217 3 652-66

Endogenous PKI gamma limits the duration of the anti-apoptotic effects of PTH and beta-adrenergic agonists in osteoblasts.

Chen X, Song IH, Dennis JE, Greenfield EM J. Bone Miner. Res. 2007 May 22 5 656-64

 Featured Books

Use of siRNA and antisense knockdown to study regulation of PKA by PKI.. In Handbook of Cell Signaling (Second Edition)

Greenfield EM & Chen X (2010). New York, NY, El Sevier

• New Investigator Recognition Award
  ORS Annual Meeting - Washington, DC (2005)
• ASBMR Young Investigator Award
  American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (2004)
• Plenary Poster - ASBMR Annual Meeting
  American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (2003)

• American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (2000-2014)
• American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (2014)