Research Interest

Dr. Chen is interested in establishing a robust mouse xenograft model of CLL using primary patient cells and then employing this model to study the heterogeneity of CLL patients’ cells. Together with other colleagues, Dr. Chen has been integral in helping the Chiorazzi lab develop a xenograft model of human CLL that requires activated autologous T cells to support CLL B cell engraftment and proliferation. Furthermore, she has demonstrated in various animal models the heterogeneity of CLL clones collected from patient lymph nodes and peripheral blood. Specifically, she has successfully demonstrated that the very minor fraction of CLL clones that has the ability to home back to lymphoid tissues survives for the longest period of time in mice, and that another minor fraction enriched in active B cells can elicit autologous T-cell activation in lymphoid tissues. This work has suggested potential new therapeutic targets to treat CLL.