Zhen Bouman Chen Lab

Dr. Luo obtained her Ph.D. in cell, molecular and developmental biology at University of California Riverside and joined the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism in the Chen Lab at City of Hope in 2017. Her research integrates innovative high-throughput sequencing technologies, single-cell transcriptome profiling, and bioinformatics approaches, to elucidate the epigenetic mechanism of vascular endothelial stress response in the context of diabetes.

Dr. Malhi is an American Heart Association-funded postdoctoral fellow studying endothelial–macrophage interactions in diabetic vascular disease, with a focus on peripheral artery disease. She completed her PhD at the University of Nottingham, where she investigated diabetic endotheliopathies, and began her postdoctoral training in 2020. Her work integrates single-cell and spatial transcriptomics with experimental models to uncover mechanisms of immune–vascular crosstalk and identify therapeutic targets, including TREM2 signaling, as highlighted in her recent publication in Science Translational Medicine. She was the 2024 recipient of the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Women Leadership Committee "Emerging Scientist for Women" award.

Dr. Yuan obtained his Ph.D. in molecular and developmental biology at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and joined City of Hope in 2021. His research projects include identification of the role of lncRNAs and epitranscriptional regulation in diabetic endotheliopathy and high-throughput screening for anti-diabetic and anti-obesity drug discovery.

Xuejing obtained her Ph.D. from Peking University, where she developed a broad interest in investigating the roles of key genes in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Her research encompassed conditions such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, dyslipidemia, and heart failure, utilizing genetically modified mice alongside pharmacological and surgical interventions. Xuejing pursued postdoctoral training at a cancer immunology lab within the Ludwig Institute/University of Lausanne. There, she focused on understanding the role of metabolic regulation in T cells within the tumor microenvironment, gaining invaluable experience in cancer biology. Then, Xuejing joined the Chen Lab, where she serves as an American Heart Association (AHA) Postdoctoral Fellow. Her expertise now spans endothelial biology, metabolic disorders, diabetes, cancer, drug discovery and cardiovascular diseases. Outside of the lab, Xuejing enjoys traveling, hiking, singing and painting.

Dr. Sun obtained her Ph.D. in Immunology from the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and joined City of Hope in 2024. Her research integrates genetically modified mouse models, human-derived primary endothelial cells, and bioinformatics approaches to investigate the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of endothelial cell (EC) long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in diabetes-related peripheral arterial disease.

Muxi Chen completed her Bachelor of Science in Cell, Molecular, & Developmental Biology at University of California, Riverside, and joined the Chen Lab at City of Hope in 2023. She has an interest in diabetic endotheliopathy, with a focus on lymphatic dysfunction.

Kwan Ho (Jaco) Law obtained his B.S. in Chemical Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and joined the Chen Lab at City of Hope in 2025. His research focuses on developing biochemical and cell-based assays for high-throughput drug screening, with an emphasis on identifying small-molecule therapeutics for onco-metabolic diseases.

Mohamad is a Research Associate in the Zhen Chen Lab. His research focuses on RNA-mediated endothelial biology and the development of cancer models. He is particularly interested in how regulatory RNA molecules influence vascular behavior within the tumor microenvironment to better understand disease progression.

After completing medical school in Turkey, Elif joined Zhen Chen Lab as a graduate student in 2025. She's interested in targeting endothelial cells in metabolic disorders via RNA therapeutics. 

In the Chen Lab, Skylar focuses on human vascular organoids to model diabetic vascular complications. She holds a Master’s degree in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and has several years of experience in organoid systems and disease modeling. Following her recent diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, her work is deeply motivated by a commitment to bridging scientific discovery with meaningful clinical impact!

Sofia Hernandez Corona completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology at California State University, San Bernardino. She joined City of Hope in 2025 as a graduate trainee in the CIRM Bridges Program. She has an interest in pancreatic and endothelial cell crosstalk.

Dr. Fengxia Zhang is an Associate Chief Physician and Master’s Supervisor in the Department of Nephrology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, China. She received her Ph.D. from Southern Medical University, where her research focused on podocyte injury in diabetic kidney disease. 

Dr. Zhang has more than 15 years of experience in nephrology clinical practice, teaching, and research, and has published 9 SCI-indexed papers as first or corresponding author. 

Her clinical interests include chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, glomerular diseases, and dialysis vascular access. She is experienced in hemodialysis vascular interventions, central venous catheterization, and peritoneal dialysis management.