Department of Biology

Lab Website:

• Please visit Dr. Daniel Chi-Wei Chen's lab website at danielcwchen.weebly.com.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biopharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
• M.S. in Molecular Biology, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan
• B.S. in Life Science, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan

Professional Experience:

• Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, NC (2024-Present)
• Assistant Professor, School of Science and Medicine, Lake Superior State University, MI (2023-2024)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Life Science, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan (2021-2023)
• Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Pittsburgh & Penn State College of Medicine, PA (2018-2021)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, The George Washington University, DC (2016-2018)

Areas of Interest:

• Cancer Biology
• Drug Discovery and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Molecular Mechanisms of DNA Damage and Repair
• Cell Metabolism and Therapeutic Resistance

Research Statement:

My research integrates molecular biology, biochemistry, and pharmaceutical sciences to develop targeted cancer therapies. My laboratory focuses on DNA replication, metabolic reprogramming, DNA damage response, and alternative splicing to uncover mechanisms of drug resistance and identify novel therapeutic targets.

 While centered on ovarian cancer and gastric cancer, our work extends to broader cancer contexts through gene therapy and drug discovery, with the long-term goal of translating mechanistic insights into clinically relevant strategies. Equally important, my program provides students with hands-on research experiences and mentorship, preparing them to contribute meaningfully to both scientific discovery and future careers in biomedical science.

Selected Publications:

• Huang CW^†, Barefoot J, Chen CW. Synergistic effects of the curcumin analog HO-3867 and olaparib in transforming fallopian tube epithelial cells. Investig New Drugs. 2025 Aug 4. doi: 10.1007/s10637-025-01571-2.
• Lai KC^*, Chen CW^*, Chang PM, Liao YC, Wang CW, Hsieh CH, Huang TT. Correlation analysis between IFIT2 and HLA class II in oral cancer. Anticancer Res. 2025 May;45(5):1897-1914. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.17568.
• Chen FZ^†, Chen LA^†, Tseng CC^†, Pai CH^†, Tsai KE^†, Liang EC^†, Chen YF, Chen TL, Liu SY, Lee PC, Lai KC, Liu BR, Fouad KE, Chen CW. Enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes in life sciences: Implementing interactive learning environments and flipped classroom models. Discover Education. 2025; 4:102. doi: 10.1007/s44217-025-00501-x.
• Wu YC^†, Ku MH^†, Huang WL^†, Dias L^†, Chen CW. NEAT1 in Ovarian Cancer: A Key Regulator of Tumor Progression, Follicular Fluid Dynamics, and Therapeutic Resistance. Anticancer Res. 2025 Mar;45(3):825-842. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.17472.
• Tseng CC^†, Ku MH^†, Wu YW^†, Huang WL^†, Wu WM^†, Pai CH^†, Chen CW. Therapeutic Options Targeting the Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM)-mediated DNA Damage Response, Macropinocytosis, and Adaptive Immunity in Ovarian Cancer. Anticancer Res. 2024 Apr;44(4):1353-1364. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.16931.
• Huang Z^*, Chen CW^*, Buj R, Tangudu NK, Fang RS, Leon KE, Dahl ES, Varner EL, von Krusenstiern E, Cole AR, Snyder NW, Aird KM. ATM inhibition drives metabolic adaptation via induction of macropinocytosis. J Cell Biol. 2023;222(1):e202007026. doi: 10.1083/jcb.202007026.
• Chen CW^§, Buj R, Dahl ES, Leon KE, Aird KM^§. ATM inhibition synergizes with fenofibrate in high grade serous ovarian cancer cells. Heliyon. 2020;6:e05097. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05097.
• Chen CW^*, Li Y^*, Hu S, Zhou W, Meng Y, Li Z, Zhang Y, Sun J, Bo Z, DePamphilis ML, Yen Y, Han Z, Zhu W. DHS (trans-4,4'-dihydroxystilbene) suppresses DNA replication and tumor growth by inhibiting RRM2 (ribonucleotide reductase regulatory subunit M2). Oncogene. 2019;38:2364–2379. doi: 10.1038/s41388-018-0584-6.
• Meng Y^*, Chen CW^*, Yung MMH, Sun W, Sun J, Li Z, Li J, Li Z, Zhou W, Liu SS, Cheung ANY, Ngan HYS, Braisted JC, Kai Y, Peng W, Tzatsos A, Li Y, Dai Z, Zheng W, Chan DW, Zhu W. DUOXA1-mediated ROS production promotes cisplatin resistance by activating ATR-Chk1 pathway in ovarian cancer. Cancer Lett. 2018;428:104–116. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.04.029.
• Chen CW, Wu MH, Chen YF, Yen TY, Lin YW, Chao SH, Tala S, Tsai TH, Su TL, Lee TC. A potent derivative of Indolizino[6,7-b]Indole for treatment of human non-small cell lung cancer cells. Neoplasia. 2016;18:199–212. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2015.10.016. Tseng CC^†, Ku MH^†, Wu WM^†, Mendez A^†, Christner T^†, Wu YC^†, Huang WL^†, Chen YH^†,

 † Undergraduate author, ‡ Corresponding author; *Co-first author; § Co-corresponding author

For a more complete list of publications and access to PDFs: My Bibliography and Google Scholar