Department of Food Science and
Nutrition
225 FScN
1334 Eckles Avenue
St. Paul, MN
55108
Phone: 612-624-1290
Fax: 612-625-5272
Chi Chen
 | Assistant Professor Department of Food Science and Nutrition 330 ABLMS Phone: (612) 624-7704 Fax: (612) 625-5272 chichen@umn.edu |
Research
Metabolomics, as a fast-developing systems biology tool, is capable of defining the small-molecule metabolite profile of complex biomatrix and determining the metabolic flux induced by genetic modification or exogenous challenges. Research in our laboratory aims to apply the mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to investigate the mechanisms of diseases and metabolic events associated with food, nutrients and xenobiotics. Two major focuses of our research are biomarker discovery and biomarker application. We are interested in identifying the small molecule biomarkers of disease (such as inflammation) and chemical-induced toxicity (such as drug and food/environmental toxicants) through the metabolomic analysis of relevant animal models and human studies. The validity of biomarkers is confirmed by examining and monitoring the progression of disease/toxicity and the consequence of intervention. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of biomarkers are investigated using the combination of in vitro models (cell and tissue culture) and chemistry/biology methods (enzyme reaction and genomics).
Collaborations
- Department of Animal Science, CFANS, University of Minnesota
- Laboratory of Metabolism, National Cancer Institute, NIH
Selected Scholarship
Chen C, Krausz KW, Idle JR, Gonzalez FJ. Identification of novel toxicity-associated metabolites by metabolomics and mass isotopomer analysis of acetaminophen metabolism in wild-type and Cyp2e1-null mice. J Biol Chem. 283: 4543-59 (2008)
Chen C, Shah YM, Morimura K, Krausz KW, Miyazaki M, Richardson TA, Morgan ET, Ntambi JM, Idle JR, Gonzalez FJ. Metabolomics reveals that hepatic stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 downregulation exacerbates inflammation and acute colitis. Cell Metab. 7: 135-47 (2008)
Chen C, Idle JR, Gonzalez FJ. LC-MS-based metabolomics in drug metabolism. Drug Metab Rev. 39: 581-97 (2007)
Chen C, Ma X, Malfatti MA., Krausz KW, Kimura S, Felton JS, Idle JR, Gonzalez FJ. A comprehensive investigation of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) metabolism in the mouse using a multivariate data analysis approach. Chem Res Toxicol. 20, 531-542 (2007)
Chen C, Meng LH, Ma X, Krausz KW, Pommier Y, Idle JR, Gonzalez FJ. Urinary metabolite profiling reveals CYP1A2-mediated metabolism of Aminoflavone (NSC 686288). J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 318, 1330-42 (2006)
Chen C, Kong AN. Dietary cancer-chemopreventive compounds: from signaling and gene expression to pharmacological effects. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 26, 318-26 (2005)
Chen C, Pung D, Leong V, Hebbar V, Shen G, Nair S, Li W, Kong AN. Induction of detoxifying enzymes by garlic organosulfur compounds through transcription factor Nrf2: effect of chemical structure and stress signals. Free Radic Biol Med. 37, 1578-90 (2004)
Chen C, Kong AN. Dietary chemopreventive compounds and ARE/EpRE signaling. Free Radic Biol Med. 36, 1505-16 (2004)
Chen C, Shen G, Hebbar V, Hu R, Owuor ED, Kong AN. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced stress signals in HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells. Carcinogenesis 24,1369-78 (2003)
Chen C, Yu R, Owuor ED, Kong AN. Activation of antioxidant-response element (ARE), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and caspases by major green tea polyphenol components during cell survival and death. Arch Pharm Res. 23, 605-12 (2000)
Leadership/Service
- Membership: American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
- Reviewer: Drug Metabolism and Disposition (2008-current)
- Reviewer: Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (2004-current)
Awards
- 2008 NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence
- 2007 ASPET Post Doctoral Scientist Award in Drug Metabolism (1st place)
- 2007 Keystone Symposia Scholarship in Bioactive Lipids
- 2002 AAPS Excellence in Graduate Research in Biotechnology