Daniel Chen

Professional Background

I graduated from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) with a degree in Chemical Biology. In 2019, I joined Dr. Helen Miranda’s lab at CWRU School of Medicine’s Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences. During this time, I developed a novel, scalable motor neuron-skeletal muscle co-culture system from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). I applied this model to study neuromuscular junction defects in motor neuron diseases, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Moreover, I wanted to investigate the non-coding repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene - the most common cause of ALS and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) - and how this mutation disrupts synaptic integrity and activity. I am interested in studying the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases and potentially discovering more effective therapeutics for these conditions.

In 2023, I joined the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at Kansas University Medical Center (KUMC) where I will train to become a physician-scientist.