Lu Chen Lab @ Fox Chase Cancer Center
solving disease one base pair at a time
Team
Who We Are
Lu Chen
Position/Role: PI
B.S. 2006, Wuhan University​
PhD. 2013, University of Kansas Medical Center/Stowers Institute
2018, Stanford Cancer Institute (SCI) fellowship in cancer research
2023, NIGMS-MIRA (Maximizing Investigators' Research Award)
Favorite Quotes:
Evolution is the clinical trial of the nature.
Don't waste your clean thoughts on dirty enzymes.
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Grigory "Grisha" Matveev, MS
Position/Role: Graduate Student (MIPT)
2024, MSc, MIPT, integrated Structural Biology and Genetics Program
2022, BS, MIPT, Applied Mathematics & Physics
Emily Pochet, MS
Position/Role: Master Student, 2024-01-2025
Predoctoral student, from 2025-07
Drexel University College of Medicine
Molecular & Cellular Biology & Genetics Program
Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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Baihao Su, PhD
Position/Role: Research Associate, from 2025-01
PhD in Biology, Temple University College of Science and Technology (CST)
Master of Biotechnology, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Vidhyadhar Nandana, PhD
Position/Role: Postdoctoral Fellow, from 2025-01
PhD, Structural biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin
MSc, Biotechnology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, India
Elizabeth Brown
Position/Role: Pre-med Scholar, from 2025
Senior, Villanova University, PA
Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Dept of Biology of the VU.
Vocare Summer Fellowship, VU
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Maria Ruiz, MS
Position/Role: Master Graduate Student, 2024-08 ~
Drexel University College of Medicine
Molecular & Cellular Biology & Genetics Program
Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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Mengmeng Li, MD, PhD, MSPH
Position/Role: Senior Data Analyst / Friend of the lab
MBBS 2008, Nanjing Medical University
MSPH 2017, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2025, Senior Data Analyst and PhD in Epidemiology,
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Research focuses:
understand and assess maternal, fetal, perinatal, child, and adolescent health through a life course perspective.
Lab Alumni
Aldana Vistarop, PhD
Position/Role: Postdoctoral Associate, 2023-10 - 2025
Ph.D. 2019 in Parmacy and Biochemistry,
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
2024- Kirby Postdoctoral Fellowship
Finalist, Mass General KF-CCR Rising Star Award
Next Position: Spatial Proteomic Facility, Fox Chase Cancer Center
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Soon-keat Ooi, PhD
Position/Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
B.S. 2009, National University of Malaysia (UKM)
PhD 2021, Stowers Institute for Medical Research
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Dr. Soon-keat Ooi joined the lab in Sept 2021 with his newly minted PhD thesis with Joan and Ronald Conaway at Stowers Institute. Soon-keat dedicated his efforts in the setting up of the young lab, and contributed intellectually during lab/floor meetings and various seminars. Outside of the lab, Soon-keat enjoys playing competitive badminton, watching soap operas, and dining with friends.
Next Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania.
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Victoria (Tori) Gillespie
Position/Role: Sci Tech I/Lab Manager
B.S. 2021, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Tori contributed to the set up of the lab from ground zero. Tori successfully deleted chromosomal regions from isogenic clone cells using CRISPR/Cas9. Tori also emerged as an expert in lentiviral packaging and transduction. She published a co-authored Nature paper in 2024
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Next Position: Graduate student at Temple LKSOM from Fall 2024
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Musinu Zakari, PhD
Position/Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
B.S. 2008, University of Ghana, Ghana
MSc. 2010, Maastricht University, Netherlands
MSc. and PhD 2015, Paris VI University, France
2023- Patterson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Structural Biology and Biochemistry
Next Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Ashley Park
High School Researcher, 09/2022-2023
2022, Junior, Wissahickon High School
2023, IN VINO VITA Summer Scholar
2024-, Undergraduate, University of Pennsylvania
Marie "Masha" Kobin
2022-, Sophomore in Biochemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Clinical Shadow: with Dr. Jeffrey Farma
2022, Jeanne E. and Robert F. Ozols Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship
2023, IN VINO VITA Summer Scholar
Masha published a co-authored NAR paper with the lab in 2021.
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Abby Fowler
Position/Role: Undergrad Fellow, 06/12/2023
University of Delaware
FCCC-UD Summer Research Fellow 2023
Next Position: REU, Texas State University
with Dr. Mylene Queiroz de Farias
UD
Amal Oubarri
High School Researcher, 09/2023-2024
2023-2024, Rising Senior, Central High School
2024, 1st prize in the 45th George Washington Carver Science Fair
2024 Fall, Undergraduate, Upenn School of Engineering
Emily Gerstein
High School Researcher, summer 2023 and 2024
Central Buck School-West
2024 fall, Undergraduate, Cornell University
Ivy Tran
Position/Role: Rotation student, 2024
MD/PhD candidate
Temple LKSOM
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Zihan Chu
Rachana Thang
Position/Role: Undergrad internship
FCB2P_2023, 2024/01~ 2024/04
Zhejiang University - Edenborough University Institute​
Next Position: Graduate student, UIUC, IL
Position/Role: Undergrad Volunteer, 04/19/2023-2024
Biology, Temple University
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Elizabeth "Lizzie" Urbanowicz
Kevin Ethridge
Position/Role: Undergrad Volunteer, 02/10/2023-2023
Biology, Temple University
Clinical Shaddow: with Dr. Efrat Dotan, 04/17/2023
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Undergrad Volunteer, 07/05/2022-08/05/2022
Wistar Institute - Biomedical Technician Training Program (BTT)
Next Position: finishing undergraduate degree.
Arushi Vignesh
High School Volunteer, 2024-2025
Conestoga High School
1st Place, Chester County Science Fair 2025
Next Position: undergrad, University of Florida