Junjie Chen, Ph.D.
Breast Cancer Moon Shot
About Dr. Chen
Junjie Chen, Ph.D., is internationally-recognized for outstanding contributions to the field of DNA damage response and their role in cancer, particularly for his role in elucidating the functions of the breast cancer tumor suppressors BRCA1 and BRCA2. His work revealed mechanistically how BRCA1 and BRCA2 act to promote DNA repair and genomic stability, resulting in a clearer understanding of the complex framework underlying DNA damage. In addition, his team identified many new proteins involved in DNA damage response and DNA repair, which established a framework of currently known DNA damage signaling pathway.
Affiliations and Related Links
Fighting Cancer: It's Personal
What makes your fight against cancer personal?
I'm a member of the integration panel for the DOD Breast Cancer
Research Program. We have a moment of silence at every meeting to
remember the breast cancer advocates and patients we've lost. It's a
sobering moment to remember why we are here for.
What motivates and excites you?
I'm motivated by the fact that we're making a difference in patient
care.
What's your Moon Shot focus?
My focus for the Moon Shots Program is to promote science-driven
clinical trials. We want to test the best scientific ideas in the
clinic and also use clinic information to direct laboratory based
research.
What do you hope to accomplish?
We hope to significantly change the ways we treat patients, with
lower toxicity and an emphasis on long-term outcome.
What makes the Moon Shots Program stand out?
MD Anderson's Moon Shot Program™ stands out because of the teamwork
and the focus on clinical outcomes for cancer patients.
What else do you want people to know about you and your work?
We're not here for people to know about my work or anybody’s work.
We're here to make cancer history.