Chen Lab

Dr. Chen’s laboratory utilizes in vitro and islet transplantation models to explore areas of islet cellular and molecular biology that are pertinent to the development of diabetes, as well as to the improvement of islet transplantation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. In addition, Dr. Chen directs the CCTI Islet Core and participates in nonhuman primate research program in tolerance induction to islet allografts. Using both animal models and human islets, she will play a key role in diabetes research and in translating tolerance therapies from animal models to the clinic.

Projects

Dr. Chen’s research is focused on pancreatic islets, which contain insulin-secreting beta cells and glucagon-releasing alpha cells, both important for maintaining blood glucose homeostasis. The main research area of the Chen Lab is human islet cell-cell interaction and the regulation of glucagon secretion in normal physiology and in type 1 diabetes. In addition, the laboratory aims to, by working closely with immunologists at the CCTI, develop clinically applicable strategies for the induction of donor specific transplantation tolerance in islet transplant recipients. Current lines of investigation include:

1. Studies on the physiology of human islet alpha, beta cell and delta cells including their paracrine interaction as part of an effort in understanding the abnormalities in hormonal secretion by islets in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
2. Studies on the immunogenicity of beta cells potentially contributed to the development of type 1 diabetes under different pathophysiological conditions.
3. Studies on the induction of specific tolerance to allogeneic islet transplants by an approach which utilizes mixed bone marrow chimerism and T-regulatory cells.
4. Studies on developing approaches that optimize islet cell survival and function during islet processing, culture, and engraftment.

The Chen lab is currently supported by grants from NIH and the Beatson Foundation. The future goals of the laboratory are to pursue each of the areas in more depth both physiologically and mechanistically and to continually pinpoint areas of therapeutic potential, particularly in preventing islet dysfunction during the development of diabetes as well as in preventing auto- and allo-immunity against islets.