Friday, September 6, 2024

Derived from her extensive studies of xenobiotic nuclear receptors (NRs), Shujuan Chen's research interests have expanded to include nuclear receptor corepressor (NCoR1) and its physiological and pharmacological functions. Implementing mouse genetics and in vitro 3-D organoid culture, she has demonstrated the central role of NCoR1 in intestinal health and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These findings led her to the field of intestinal innate immunity, including studies of intestinal stem cell proliferation and differentiation, secretory cells, antimicrobial peptides, gut microbiome, and the interactions of host and intestinal bacteria. Her other research focus is investigating the impact of environmental toxicants on neonatal development, brain toxicity, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and colorectal cancer (CRC); these studies include the environmental toxicants arsenic, cadmium, triclosan, benzopyrene, and some polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).