Dr. Zhu Chen is a Ph.D. supervisor, currently serving as the director and Chief Physician in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology. He holds a Ph.D. from University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Cornell University affiliated Hospital for Special Surgery, United States. He is recognized as a reserve candidate for academic and technical leaders in Anhui Province and was one of the first high-level talents introduced by the Anhui Provincial Party Committee. Dr. Chen is also a recipient of the 32nd Japan-China Sasakawa Medical Fellowship from the Ministry of Health. He is a Youth Member of the Rheumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, a Youth Member of the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and a deputy Chief Member of the Rheumatology Branch of the Anhui Medical Association.
Education and Work Experience
- 1996-2001: Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Medicine, Anhui Medical University
- 2004-2007: Master's Degree in Internal Medicine (Rheumatology), Anhui Medical University
- 2012-2015: Ph.D. in Rheumatology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
- 2001-2007: Resident Physician, Anhui Provincial Hospital
- 2008-2016: Attending Physician, Anhui Provincial Hospital
- 2009-2010: Visiting Scholar, Keio University Hospital, Japan
- 2017-2021: Associate Chief Physician, The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China
- 2018-2020: Postdoctoral Fellow, Hospital for Special Surgery, Cornell University, USA
- 2022-present: Chief Physician, The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China
Academic Achievements and Impact
Dr. Chen has dedicated many years to the clinical and scientific research of autoimmune diseases, particularly in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. He has discovered the effect of innate immune system and Th2 responses in promoting the resolution of arthritis and underlying mechanisms. He first reported the role of age-associated B cells in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. In the past years, he has published over 20 papers in peer-reviewed journals such as Nature Communications, Nature Reviews Rheumatology, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, and Arthritis & Rheumatology. He has been invited to speak at international conferences multiple times, serving as an editorial member of several academic journals including BMC Medicine and Rheumatology and Immunology Research.
Ongoing Projects (Principal Investigator Only)
1. Project Title: Mechanistic study on targeting ASCT2-mediated glutamine metabolism in promoting the resolution of rheumatoid arthritis via inhibiting age-associated B cells.
- Source: National Natural Science Foundation of China General Project
- Total Funding: 490,000 RMB + 490,000 RMB (hospital matching funds)
- Duration: January 2025- December 2028
2. Project Title: Mechanistic study on the effect of AEBP1+ synovial fibroblast in promoting the development of rheumatoid arthritis via enhancing pannus formation.
- Source: Anhui Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholar
- Total Funding: 500,000 RMB
- Duration: September 2024 - August 2027
3. Project Title: Allogenic anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy for refractory systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Source: Anhui Health Commission
- Total Funding: 600,000 RMB
- Duration: December 2023 - November 2026
4. Project Title: Mechanisms and clinical application of cold air plasma in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
- Source: Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
- Total Funding: 100,0000 RMB
- Duration: January 2023 - December 2025
Representative Papers (Last Five Years)
1. Jin HZ, Li YJ, Wang X, Li Z, Ma B, Niu L, Wang P, Pan HF, Li SD, Bao W, Wang G, Li X, Chen Z*. Efficacy and safety of telitacicept in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a multicentre, retrospective, real-world study. Lupus Science & Medicine 2023 Nov 24;10(2):e001074.
2. Cai M, Qin Y, Wan A, Jin H, Tang J, Chen Z*. COX5A as a potential biomarker for disease activity and organ damage in lupus. Clinical and Experimental Medicine. 2023 Dec;23(8):4745-4756.
3. Xiang N, Li YJ, Liu MY, Wu QQ, Zhang YX, Jin HZ, Wang Q, Li YW, Tong DL, Xue T, Jin TC, Bao W, Chen Z*. Antibody responses following the surge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection among patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Rheumatology Advances in Practice. 2023 Jul 24;7(2): rkad064.
4. Li ZY, Cai ML, Qin Y, Chen Z*. Age/autoimmunity-associated B cells in inflammatory arthritis: An emerging therapeutic target. Frontiers in Immunology, 2023,14: 1103307. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1103307
5. Qin Y, Cai ML, Jin HZ, Huang W, Zhu C, Bozec A, Huang J, Chen Z*. Age-associated B cells contribute to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis by inducing activation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes via TNF-α-mediated ERK1/2 and JAK-STAT1 pathways. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 2022 Nov;81(11):1504-1514.
6. Chen Z, Castro DF, Gupta S, Phalke S, Manni M, Rivera-Correa J, Jessberger R, Zaghouani H, Giannopoulou E, Pannellini T, Pernis AB. IL-13Rα1-Mediated Signaling Regulates Age-Associated/Autoimmune B-Cell Expansion. Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2022 Sep;74(9):1544-1555.
7. Chen Z, Bozec A, Ramming A, Schett G. Anti-Inflammatory and Immune-Regulatory Cytokines in Arthritis. Nature Reviews Rheumatology. 2019 Jan;15(1):9-17.
8. Qin Y, Jin HZ, Li YJ, Chen Z*. Emerging role of eosinophils in resolution of arthritis. Frontiers in Immunology, 2021, 12:764825. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.764825.
9. Li YJ, Chen Z*. Cell-based therapies for rheumatoid arthritis: opportunities and challenges. Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease. 2022 May 23;14:1759720X221100294.
10. Chen Z*, Fang W, Qin Y, Jin YZ, Yang X, Lou J. Citrullinated Antigens with Multiple Citrulline Similar Motif in the Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Preliminary Single-Center Study. Journal of Immunology Research, 2021 Aug 10;2021:1891519.
11. Zhang Y, Qin Y, Chen Z*. Neuromedin U suppresses collagen-induced arthritis through ILC2-Th2 activation. Journal of Immunology Research, 2021, 2021:5599439, doi: 10.1155/2021/5599439.
12. Fang W, Zhang Y, Chen Z*. Innate lymphoid cells in inflammatory arthritis. Arthritis Research & Therapy, 2020, 22 (1), 25.
Contact Information
E-mail: doczchen@ustc.edu.cn
Phone: +86 551-62283843