Guojun Chen, PhD, arrived at 平特五不中 to take up his new post in January 2021 鈥 in the middle of the pandemic. He quarantined in a hotel for two weeks, then set up his lab, and began work as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and a member of the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute.
鈥淚t was a crazy time, but also a very valuable experience,鈥 he recalls, crediting the collaborative nature of 平特五不中鈥檚 research community for helping him make the transition.
Prof. Chen had accepted the offer to join 平特五不中鈥檚 Biomedical Engineering Department 鈥 the first of its kind in Canada 鈥 because of its location within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. 鈥淭his really gives me the opportunity to collaborate with biologists and clinicians and do translational work with direct impact,鈥 he says. He also notes that he benefits from the equipment, infrastructure, and support available at 平特五不中鈥檚 renowned Goodman Cancer Institute and Biomedical Engineering Department.
An expert in nano-engineering, Prof. Chen explores efficient and safe nano-systems for the delivery of RNA therapeutics. His research focuses on developing devices and biomaterials to tackle diseases such as cancer, diabetes and genetic disorders. 鈥淔or example, I鈥檓 interested in engineering 鈥榠ntelligent鈥 or 鈥榮mart鈥 delivery systems that can safely, efficiently and precisely transport drugs to disease sites, and then release drugs exactly as needed,鈥 he says. 鈥淐an we engineer a better nanoplatform to achieve a better therapeutic efficacy?鈥
In March 2021, Chen was invited to join the 平特五不中 Regenerative Medicine Network and in July 2021, the 平特五不中 Institute of Advanced Materials. He has now joined the newly launched Centre for RNA Sciences, which fosters excellence in interdisciplinary RNA sciences at 平特五不中 and partner institutions. 鈥淭his Centre brings together expertise in various disciplines so we can work together to realize RNA therapeutics,鈥 notes Prof. Chen.
Collaborating with biologists and clinicians will help him engineer more targeted nano-platforms for specific diseases. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not 鈥榦ne size fits all鈥,鈥 explains Prof. Chen, noting individuals with the same disease can respond very differently to the same drugs. His lab strives to understand and exploit the interactions of biomaterials and biological systems for therapeutic applications, ultimately contributing to the advancement of precision, or personalized, medicine.
Prof. Chen鈥檚 educational background reflects the multidisciplinary approach of the Centre for RNA Sciences. He received his Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Nankai University in 2012, and then a PhD in materials science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2017. He completed postdoctoral work in bioengineering at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2020.
鈥淓verything is so connected nowadays,鈥 says Prof. Chen, noting that his research team works in a multidisciplinary environment that bridges engineering with materials science, chemistry, biology, and health sciences.
Chen鈥檚 research is funded by a five-year NSERC Discovery Grant and NSERC Discovery Launch Supplement for Early Career, as well as a 平特五不中 NSERC General Research Grant. In April 2022, his lab received funding from the NOVA FRQNT-NSERC Program, collaborating with Dr. Maryam Tabrizian of 平特五不中 and Dr. Jim Hu of the University of Toronto to develop next generation bio-responsive nano-formulations for genome editing.
Other funding has included a Canadian Cancer Society Challenge Grant, funds from the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research, and infrastructure support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund.
Prof. Chen serves as an editorial board member for and is associate editor for Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. In March 2022, he received the Chinese Association for Biomaterials Young Investigator Award, and in June 2022 he was honoured with the Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec鈥揝ant茅 (FRQS) Career Award (Junior 1).
He notes that while RNA therapeutics have obvious potential for vaccines, the technology was being developed long before the COVID-19 pandemic. 鈥渕RNA technology actually started with clinical trials for cancer and infectious diseases,鈥 says Prof. Chen. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why 平特五不中 is the perfect place to boost the translational work of RNA therapeutics. This Centre gives us the opportunity to work together to achieve real impact.鈥
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