Kang Chen
Department
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, Oncology
Laboratory Web Site
Research Interests
- Immunotherapy of cancer
- Antibody dysfunction in immunodeficiency and lymphoma
- Reproductive diseases and gynecologic cancer
Research Description
We apply molecular, cellular and histological techniques and use animal models and human specimens to understand the mechanisms of antibody diversification and production by B lymphocytes, such as immunoglobulin class switching and somatic hypermutation. We are also studying how these processes are coupled to B lymphocyte differentiation and antibody production in barrier tissues such as the intestinal, respiratory and reproductive tract, and in tumor tissues. These processes are critical to the generation and maintenance of an antibody repertoire for effective immune defense and the avoidance of autoimmune diseases. Defects in these processes can result in immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, lymphoma and other types of cancer associated with infections.
In addition, we are applying immunological methods to study some common reproductive disorders, such as preterm birth, and are developing new therapeutic and preventive methods to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes and the associated infant diseases, such as infections and allergies.
Recent Publications
Zhu R, Liu X, Zhang X, Zhong Z, Qi S, Jin R, Gu Y, Wang Y, Chen L, Chen K, Ye D, Yu F-X. Gene therapy for diffuse pleural mesotheliomas in preclinical models by concurrent expression of NF2 and SuperHippo. Cell Reports Medicine 2024; 5:101763.
Chen K, Hao Y, Guzman M, Li G, Cerutti A. Antibody mediated regulation of basophils: emerging views and clinical implications. Trends in Immunology 2023; 44:408-423 (cover story).
Rezazadeh F, Ramos N, Saliganan A-D, Al-Hallak N, Chen K, Mohamad B, Wiesend WN, Viola NT. Detection of IL12/23p40 via PET visualizes inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Nuclear Medicine 2023; 64:1806-1814.
Sheng S, Bernardo M, Dzinic SH, Chen K, Sakr WA. The vulnerable primed cancer stem cells in disguise: demystifying the role of Maspin. Cancer and Metastasis Reviews 2022; 41:965-974.
Hu Z-L, Luo C, Hurtado PR, Li H, Wang S, Hu B, Xu J-M, Liu Y, Feng S-Q, Hurtado-Perez E, Chen K, Zhou X-F, Li C-Q, Dai R-P. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor in the immune system is a novel target for treating multiple sclerosis. Theranostics 2021; 11:715-730.
Chen K, Giuliana M, Grasset E, Cerutti A. Rethinking mucosal antibody responses: IgM, IgG and IgD join IgA. Nature Reviews Immunology 2020,20:427-441 (cover story).
Deirawan H, Purrington K, Ratliff V, Schwartz A, Daaboul MF, Kamatham S, Trak J, Chen K, Ali-Fehmi R, Bandyopadhyay S. Organized lymphoid structures stratify risk in breast cancer and correlate with a naive B cell signature. Laboratory Investigation 2020;100:134
Chen Y-Q, Li P-C, Pan N, Gao R, Wen Z-F, Zhang T-Y, Huang F, Wu F-Y, Ou X-L, Zhang J-P, Zhu X-J, Hu H-M, Chen K, Cai Y-L, Wang L-X. Tumor-released autophagosomes induces CD4+ T cell-mediated immunosuppression via a TLR2–IL-6 cascade. Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer 2019; 7:1-16.
Jones RF, Reyes JD, Gibson HM, Jacob JB, Vaishampayan U, Ratner S, Chen K, Wei W-Z. An HER2 DNA vaccine with evolution-selected amino acid substitutions reveals a fundamental principle for cancer vaccine formulation in HER2 transgenic mice. Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy 2019; 68:1143-1155.
Shan M, Carillo J, Yeste A, Gutzeit C, Garzon DS, Pybus M, Grasset EK, Yeiser JR, Matthews DB, van de Veen W, Comerma L, He B, Boonpiyathad T, Lee H, Blanco J, Osborne LC, Siracusa MC, Akdis M, Artis D, Mehandru S, Sampson HA, Berin MC, Chen K, Cerutti A (2018). Secreted IgD Amplifies Humoral T helper 2 responses by Activating Basophils through Galectin-9 and CD44. Immunity 2018; 49:709-724.
Watza D, Lusk CM, Dyson G, Purrington KS, Chen K, Wenzlaff AS, Ratliff V, Neslund-Dudas C, Bepler G, Schwartz AG. Prognostic modeling of the immune-centric transcriptome reveals interleukin signaling candidates contributing to differential patient outcomes. Carcinogenesis 2018; 39:1447-1454.
Watza D, Purrington KS, Chen K, Schwartz AG. Transcriptional programs of tumor infiltrating T-cells provide insight into mechanisms of immune response and new targets for immunotherapy. Journal of Thoracic Disease 2018; 9:4162.
Zhou JZ, Way SS, Chen K. Immunology of the uterine and vaginal mucosae. Trends in Immunology 2018; 39:302-314.
Huang B, Faucette AN, Pawlitz MD, Pei B, Goyert JW, Zhou JZ, El-Hage NG, Cols M, Lin J, Yao F, Jassal JS, Dewar RS III, Dai J, Shen C, Polin LA, Nichols RA, Jones TB, Deng J, Bluth MH, Puder KS, Gonik B, Nayak NR, Puscheck E, Wei W-Z, Cerutti A, Colonna M, Chen K. Interleukin-33-induced expression of PIBF1 by decidual B cells protects against preterm labor. Nature Medicine 2017; 23:128-35.
Selected publications
For a selected list of publications, please refer to http://chenlab.wayne.edu/publications.html.
Education/Training
PhD, Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
BSc with First-Class Honours, National University of Singapore
Awards and Honors
At Wayne State University:
2023 American Association of Immunologists Travel Grant
2020 College Teaching Award
2017 College Teaching Award
2016 Research Excellence Award
2015 Invited expert, Global Maternal Vaccination Consultative Meeting, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
2014 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Investigator
2013 NIH Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST) Young Investigator Award
2013 American Association of Immunologists Early Career Faculty Travel Award
Courses Taught
Cancer Biology courses:
CB7410 Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy (Course Co-director)
CB7700 Cancer Biology Journal Club
Other courses:
MD2 Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
IM7010/CB7010/IBS7090 Fundamentals of Immunology
PSL7690 Principles of Reproductive Biology
MGG7400 Molecular Biology of Cell Signaling
PSL7700 Stem Cell Biology
MGG7091 Scientific Enquiries
IM8999 Master's Thesis Research and Direction
HON4998 University Honors Thesis
BIO6999 Honors Program Terminal Essay
BIO6990 Directed Study in Biology