Dr. Mei Chen

Biography

Dr. Chen obtained her Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Virology Molecular Biology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Following her postdoctoral training in Cell Developmental Biology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Cornell University Medical College, she joined the faculty of the Department of Dermatology at Northwestern University Medical School. Currently, she serves as a Professor and Director of the USC Laboratories for Investigative Dermatology at the University of Southern California. Dr. Chen’s research focuses on elucidating the structure-function of type VII collagen and developing therapeutic approaches like cell therapy, small molecule-based drug therapy, protein therapy, and gene therapy for treating recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). Her current research includes evaluating the effects of recombinant type VII collagen on skin wounds in diabetic pigs, discovering signaling pathways responsible for RDEB scarring, and investigating aminoglycoside-based drug therapy for human RDEB patients. Dr. Chen's studies possess strong translational potential aimed at advancing future therapies for RDEB and patients with chronic skin conditions. Her research endeavors have been continuously supported by NIH grants for over twenty years.

Research Interests

Experience