Zhijian Chen, Ph.D.

Professor

Endowed Title: George L. MacGregor Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science
School: Medical School
Department: Molecular Biology | Center for Genetics of Host Defense
Graduate Programs: Genetics, Development and Disease, Immunology

Education

Undergraduate: Fujian Normal University (1985), Biology
Graduate School: SUNY at Buffalo (1991), Biochemistry

Research Interest

Publications

Detection of Microbial Infections Through Innate Immune Sensing of Nucleic Acids: Tan X, Sun L, Chen J, Chen ZJ Annual Review of Microbiology 2018 Sep 72 447-478
DNA-induced liquid phase condensation of cGAS activates innate immune signaling: Du M, Chen ZJ Science 2018 Aug 361 704-709
BHLHE40, a third transcription factor required for insulin induction of SREBP-1c mRNA in rodent liver: Tian J, Wu J, Chen X, Guo T, Chen ZJ, Goldstein JL, Brown MS eLife 2018 Jun 7
Cytosolic DNA sensing promotes macrophage transformation and governs myocardial ischemic injury: Cao DJ, Schiattarella GG, Villalobos E, Jiang N, May HI, Li T, Chen Z, Gillette TG, Hill JA Circulation 2018 Jun 137 2613-2634
A GTPase-activating protein– binding protein (G3BP1)/antiviral protein relay conveys arteriosclerotic Wnt signals in aortic smooth muscle cells: Ramachandran B, Stabley JN, Cheng SL, Behrmann AS, Gay A, Li L, Mead M, Kozlitina J, Lemoff A, Mirzaei H, Chen Z, Towler DA Journal of Biological Chemistry 2018 May 293 7942-7968
The cGAS-cGAMP-STI NG pathway connects DNA damage to inflammation, senescence, and cancer: Li T, Chen ZJ Journal of Experimental Medicine 2018 May 215 1287-1299
Innate immune activation by cGMP-AMP nanoparticles leads to potent and long-acting antiretroviral response against HIV-1: Aroh C, Wang Z, Dobbs N, Luo M, Chen Z, Gao J, Yan N Journal of Immunology 2017 Dec 199 3840-3848
STING Senses Microbial Viability to Orchestrate Stress-Mediated Autophagy of the Endoplasmic Reticulum: Moretti J, Roy S, Bozec D, Martinez J, Chapman JR, Ueberheide B, Lamming DW, Chen ZJ, Horng T, Yeretssian G, Green DR, Blander JM Cell 2017 Nov 171 809-823.e13
Synthetic nanovaccines for immunotherapy: Luo M, Samandi LZ, Wang Z, Chen ZJ, Gao J Journal of Controlled Release 2017 Oct 263 200-210
Influenza virus differentially activates mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling to maximize late stage replication: Kuss-Duerkop SK, Wang J, Mena I, White K, Metreveli G, Sakthivel R, Mata MA, Muñoz-Moreno R, Chen X, Krammer F, Diamond MS, Chen ZJ, García-Sastre A, Fontoura BM PLoS pathogens 2017 Sep 13

Honors & Awards

Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award
The Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for Dr. Chen's discovery of the cGAS enzyme. (2024)
Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
(2023)
Member, National Academy of Medicine, USA
(2022)
William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic and Tumor Immunology
(2020)
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
For his discovery of the cGAS enzyme that launches the body's immune defense against infections and cancers. That enzyme patrols the cell's interior and triggers the immune system in response to DNA. (2019)
Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences
For his discovery of the cGAS enzyme, a sensor of innate immunity. The enzyme patrols the cells interior and sounds the alarm to trigger the immune system in response to DNA. (2018)
NAS Award in Molecular Biology
For his creative use of elegant biochemistry both in elucidating an unsuspected role for polyubiquitin in a kinase-signaling cascade important for cancer and immunity and in discovering a novel link between innate immunity and a mitochondrial membrane protein that forms prion-like polymers to trigger antiviral responses. (2012)
Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Science by The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas
(2007)
Welch Foundation Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research
(2005)
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Investigator in Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases
(2002)
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar
(2002)
Searle Scholar
(1998)