Dr. Jianfu Chen is an Associate Professor in the Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology (CCMB) at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. He received his PhD in 2008 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) under the guidance of Dr. Dazhi Wang. His PhD work focused on microRNA (miRNA)-mediated gene regulation in muscle stem cell (satellite cell) and muscle development. He graduated with the Linda Dysktra Distinguished Dissertation Award at UNC-CH. As a Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Chen had his postdoctoral training with Dr. Lee Niswander at University of Colorado Denver, working on neural tube defects (NTDs) and microcephaly. In 2012, he received K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from NIH. In 2014, Dr. Chen became an independent investigator at the University of Georgia (UGA), and moved his laboratory to the University of Southern California (USC) in 2017.

Awards:
2014-2016, R00 Research Transition Award (4R00HD073269), National Institute of Health
2012-2013, K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (1 K99 HD073269), National Institute of Health
2009-2012, Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellowship, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Fellow
2008, Linda Dykstra Distinguished Dissertation Award, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH)
2006, Abstract-driven travel award at Frontiers in Myogenesis Meeting in Georgia
2002-2004, Joseph T. and Ann L. Davis Memorial Scholarship, Kansas State University