Szu-Jung Chen

I’m currently a Study Director at Crown Bioscience in San Diego, leading in vitro and in vivo preclinical immuno-oncology studies from study design through execution and final reporting. My work spans in vivo pharmacology, PK/PD, and toxicology study oversight, development and optimization of translational models for cell therapy programs (including humanized and xenograft tumor models with immune reconstitution/engraftment), and delivery of high-quality, compliant documentation such as protocols, IACUC submissions, and final study reports. Prior to this role, I served as a Research Assistant Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where I led innovative immuno-oncology and neurosurgery research and gained strong experience in clinical study design, implementation, regulatory compliance, and manuscript preparation for high-impact publications and drug applications. My postdoctoral training at UC Davis strengthened my expertise in biomedical engineering and internal medicine, with a focus on cancer biology and the therapeutic potential of CAR-T cell therapy, building on earlier preclinical oncology work in Taiwan at National Cheng Kung University and the National Health Research Institutes. Across these roles, I’ve developed broad technical strength in advanced microscopy, molecular and cellular biology, and bioinformatics, alongside a track record of leading teams, managing complex projects, and publishing peer-reviewed research. I’m driven by rigorous science, collaboration, and execution excellence to generate clear, actionable data that accelerates better cancer therapies.

• PCEP (Python Institute)
• Python for Genomic Data Science (Johns Hopkins University)
• Manufacture of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) for Human Use (PharmOut)
• Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) (PharmOut)
• Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) (PharmOut)
• The 10 Golden Rules of GMP (PharmOut)
• Good Record Keeping (GRK) (PharmOut)
• Manufacture Of Sterile Medicinal Products (PharmOut)

• A novel non-viral delivery strategy for gene engineering in primary human T cells for ex vivo cell therapy applications, 23rd Annual UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium, Berkeley, CA, USA, 06/22/2023 - 06/23/2023
• Inhibition lysosomal cysteine protease cathepsin S enzymatic activity alleviates oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy by regulating store-operated Ca2+ entry homeostasis, Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, San Diego, CA, USA, 04/24/2020 - 04/29/2020
• Cathepsin S inhibition alleviates oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy through regulation of Ca2+ homeostasis, American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, USA, 03/29/2019 - 04/03/2019
• Cathepsin S as a potential target in oxaliplatin-induced neuropathic pain, The 23rd Taiwan Joint Cancer Conference, Taipei, Taiwan, 05/05/2018 - 05/06/2018
• Mechanistic basis of a combination D-penicillamine and platinum drugs synergistically inhibits tumor growth in oxaliplatin-resistant human cervical cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, 11th International Conference of the Asia Clinical Oncology Society, Taipei, Taiwan, 05/02/2014 - 05/04/2014
• Copper-Chelator Exerts Synergistic Interaction with Platinum Drugs through Modulating Copper Transporters in Oxaliplatin- resistant Human Gastric Cancer Cell, The 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, San Diego, CA, USA, 04/05/2014 - 04/09/2014
• WWOX/WOX1 is essential in UV irradiation/frostbite-induced membrane bubbling, NCKU Research Conference, Tainan, Taiwan, 11/19/2012

• Merit Award of Joint Cancer Conference 2014 Taipei
• Merit Award of Asia Clinical Oncology Society 2014 Taipei
• Excellent Research Award of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 2012

• Lee HW, Chen SJ, Tsai KJ, Hsu KS, Chen YF, Chang CH, Lin HH, Hsueh WY, Hsieh HP, Lee YF, Chiang HC, Chang JY. Targeting cathepsin S promotes activation of OLF1-BDNF/TrkB axis to enhance cognitive function. J Biomed Sci. 2024 May 9;31(1):46. doi: 10.1186/s12929-024-01037-2.
• Garcia G, Chen SJ, Westerland MR, Wu X, Hwang ST, Simon SI. Psoriatic Neutrophils Are Primed in Circulation for Enhanced β(2)-Integrin-Dependent Recruitment and Effector Function on E-Selectin and ICAM-1. J Invest Dermatol. 2023 Oct 23.
• Morikis VA, Chen SJ, Madigan J, Jo MH, Werba LC, Ha T, and Simon SI. β2- Integrin Adhesive Bond Tension under Shear Stress Modulates Cytosolic Calcium Flux and Neutrophil Inflammatory Response. Cells 2022; doi:10.3390/cells11182822.
• Chen SJ, Chen LH, Yeh YM, Lin CK, Lin PC, Huang HW, Shen MR, Lin BW, Lee JC, Lee CC, Lee YF, Chiang HC, and Chang JY. Targeting Lysosomal Cysteine Protease Cathepsin S Reveals Immunomodulatory Therapeutic Strategy for Oxaliplatin-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy. Theranostics. 2021. doi:10.7150/thno.54793.
• Liu J, Chen SJ, Hsu SW, Zhang J, Li JM, Yang David C., Gu Shenwen, Kent E. Pinkerton, Chen CH. MARCKS cooperates with NKAP to activate NF-kB signaling in smoke-related lung cancer. Theranostics. 2021. doi:10.7150/thno.53558.
• Yang DC, Gu S, Li JM, Hsu SW, Chen SJ, Chang WH, Chen CH. Targeting the AXL Receptor in Combating Smoking-related Pulmonary Fibrosis. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology 2021.
• Lin HH, Chen SJ, Shen MR, Huang YT, Hsieh HP, Lin SY, Lin CC; Chang WS, Chang J Y. Lysosomal cysteine protease cathepsin S is involved in cancer cell motility by regulating store-operated Ca2+ entry. BBA - Molecular Cell Research Apr 11, 2019.
• Chen SJ, Kuo CC, Pan HY, Tsou TC, Yeh SC and Chang JY. Desferal regulates hCtr1 and transferrin receptor expression through Sp1 and exhibits synergistic cytotoxicity with platinum drugs in oxaliplatin-resistant human cervical cancer cells in vitro andin vivo. Oncotarget. 2016.
• Chen SJ, Kuo CC, Pan HY, Tsou TC, Yeh SC and Chang JY. Mechanistic basis of a combination D-penicillamine and platinum drugs synergistically inhibits tumor growth in oxaliplatin-resistant human cervical cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Biochemical pharmacology. 2015; 95(1):28-37.
• Chen SJ, Lin PW, Lin HP, Huang SS, Lai FJ, Sheu HM, Hsu LJ and Chang NS. UV irradiation/cold shock-mediated apoptosis is switched to bubbling cell death at low temperatures. Oncotarget. 2015; 6(10):8007-8018.
• Lee MH, Su WP, Wang WJ, Lin SR, Lu CY, Chen YA, Chang JY, Huang SS, Chou PY, Ye SR, Chen SJ, He H, Liu TH, Chou YT, Hsu LJ, Lai FJ, et al. Zfra activates memory Hyal-2+ CD3- CD19- spleen cells to block cancer growth, stemness, and metastasis in vivo. Oncotarget. 2015; 6(6):3737-3751.
• Chen SJ, Huang SS, Chang NS (2013) Role of WWOX and NF-κB in lung cancer progression. Translational Respiratory Medicine 2015.
• Chang JY, Chiang MF, Lin SR, Lee MH, He H, Chou PY, Chen SJ, Chen YA, Yang LY, Lai FJ, Hsieh CC, Hsieh TH, Sheu HM, Sze CI and Chang NS. TIAF1 self- aggregation in peritumor capsule formation, spontaneous activation of SMAD- responsive promoter in p53-deficient environment, and cell death. Cell death & disease. 2012; 3:e302.
• Su WP, Chen SH, Chen SJ, Chou PY, Huang CC and Chang NS WW Domain- Containing Oxidoreductase is a Potential Receptor for Sex Steroid Hormones. Dubey, Raghvendra, ed. 2012. Sex Hormones. InTech. doi:10.5772/1313.