He was born in China and received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Nanjing University in 1993 followed by a Master’s degree in chemistry from the same university in 1996. He moved to Idaho the same year and spent 3 years at the University of Idaho before receiving his PhD in chemistry in 1999. After two quick postdocs at Syracuse University and Washington University in St. Louis he joined the University of Southern California as an Assistant Professor of Radiology. He then moved to Stanford University in 2004 to help build up the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS). Major research areas of Chen group include: 1) Development of novel molecular imaging probes to visualize and quantify the fundamental molecular processes in cancer and cardiovascular diseases; 2) Application of the state-of-the-art imaging technologies to guide and monitor molecular therapeutics; 3) Application of nanotechnology in molecular diagnostics and therapy.
He has published over 160 papers and numerous book chapters. He sits on the editorial board of 11 peer-reviewed journals and is a regular reviewer for over 30 journals. He also serves as a regular study section member on multiple NIH, DOD, and Komen foundation panels. Very recently he took the offer from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the National Institute of Health (NIH) as a tenured Senior Investigator and Chief of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine Program.