Biography

Kenneth S. Chen, M.D., is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and the Children's Medical Center Research Institute. He is an Attending Physician in the Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Chen received his B.S.E. in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University and M.D. from UT Southwestern. He then completed pediatric residency and pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at UT Southwestern, where he joined the laboratory of James F. Amatruda.

As a physician-scientist, he divides his time between his research laboratory and Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, where he specializes in the care of children with cancer and blood disorders. His research interests in the laboratory focus on understanding the genetic drivers of childhood cancers, especially Wilms tumor and germ cell tumors, and new strategies for treating them.

Education

Medical School
UT Southwestern Medical School (2006)
Internship
UT Southwestern/Children's Medical Center (2007), Pediatrics
Residency
UT Southwestern/Children's Medical Center (2009), Pediatrics
Fellowship
UT Southwestern/Children's Medical Center (2013), Pediatric Hematology/oncology

Research Interest

  • DICER1 syndrome
  • Wilms tumor

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

Mutations in microRNA processing genes in Wilms tumors derepress the IGF2 regulator PLAG1
Chen KS, Stroup EK, Budhipramono A, Rakheja D, Nichols-Vinueza D, Xu L, Stuart SH, Shukla AA, Fraire C, Mendell JT, Amatruda JF Genes Dev. 2018 Jul
EGF Receptor and mTORC1 are novel therapeutic targets in nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.
Chen KS, Fustino NJ, Shukla AA, Stroup EK, Budhipramono A, Ateek C, Stuart SH, Yamaguchi K, Kapur P, Frazier AL, Lum L, Looijenga LHJ, Laetsch TW, Rakheja D, Amatruda JF Mol. Cancer Ther. 2018 Feb
A novel TP53-KPNA3 translocation defines a de novo treatment-resistant clone in osteosarcoma.
Chen KS, Kwon WS, Kim J, Heo SJ, Kim HS, Kim HK, Kim SH, Lee WS, Chung HC, Rha SY, Hwang TH Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2016 Sep 2 5 a000992
p53 genes function to restrain mobile elements.
Wylie A, Jones AE, D'Brot A, Lu WJ, Kurtz P, Moran JV, Rakheja D, Chen KS, Hammer RE, Comerford SA, Amatruda JF, Abrams JM Genes Dev. 2015 Dec
Invited reply to amikacin ototoxicity in children with cancer: the problem is the administration schedule.
Chen K, Bach A, Shoup A, Winick N Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014 Feb 61 2 191
Somatic mutations in DROSHA and DICER1 impair microRNA biogenesis through distinct mechanisms in Wilms tumours.
Rakheja D, Chen KS, Liu Y, Shukla AA, Schmid V, Chang TC, Khokhar S, Wickiser JE, Karandikar NJ, Malter JS, Mendell JT, Amatruda JF Nat Commun 2014 2 4802
Hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction among children with cancer after receiving aminoglycosides.
Chen KS, Bach A, Shoup A, Winick NJ Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013 Jun
A big catch for germ cell tumour research.
Chen KS, Amatruda JF PLoS Genet. 2013 Apr 9 4 e1003481
DNA methylation analysis reveals distinct methylation signatures in pediatric germ cell tumors.
Amatruda JF, Ross JA, Christensen B, Fustino NJ, Chen KS, Hooten AJ, Nelson H, Kuriger JK, Rakheja D, Frazier AL, Poynter JN BMC Cancer 2013 13 1 313
Hemolytic non-uremic syndrome.
Chen KS, Neunert CE, Crary SE, Buchanan GR Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012 Jul 59 1 167-9

Honors & Awards

  • CPRIT Recruitment of First-Time, Tenure-Track Faculty
    (2018-2023)
  • Texas Super Doctors (Texas Rising Star)
    Texas Monthly (2018)
  • UTSW Disease-Oriented Clinical Scholar
    (2018-2021)
  • Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Young Investigator
    (2016-2019)
  • Hyundai Hope on Wheels Young Investigator
    (2016-2018)
  • Damon Runyon-Sohn Pediatric Cancer Fellow
    (2013-2017)
  • W.W. Caruth Scholar
    Children’s Medical Center Foundation (2013-2015)
  • First Place, Critical Appraisal of Literature
    Resident Section Poster Contest, Texas Pediatric Society (2008)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

  • American Association for Cancer Research (2012)
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology (2010)
  • American Society of Hematology (2010)
  • American Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (2010)