Allen Chen

Professional Background

I was born in New York, raised in New Jersey, and completed my high school education in Kansas. While attending college at Washington University in St. Louis, I continued to participate in biological research at KU-Lawrence studying neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction from an Alzheimer's disease standpoint while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Ecology and Anthropology. I believe that the breadth of my studies during my undergraduate education helped me understand the connection between biology and human health through a more holistic perspective.

When I started research in my undergraduate years, I became fascinated by mitochondria due to their proto-bacterial origins and their essential role in energy production for the cell, inspiring me to explore mitochondrial research at KU. I am currently undertaking my PhD in the lab of Dr. Wen-Xing Ding, where I am examining the role of TMEM41B, an ER transmembrane protein responsible for ATP-independent movement of phospholipids between the membrane bilayers, in the development of NAFLD.

Outside of my research, I can be found spending time with friends, trying new cooking recipes, obsessively cleaning, and caring for my Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Slider.

Mentor: Wen-Xing Ding, Ph.D., Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics