Chen Zhao – The Bao Gyo Jung Research Award
MENTOR: Aleksander S. Popel, Ph.D.
Chen’s research focuses on macrophages, which are a class of innate immune cells that play essential roles in the progression of a variety of major human diseases. Chen’s research project is to build multiscale computational models to mechanistically simulate and investigate the role of macrophages, especially their phenotypic polarization, in the regulation of blood vessel formation, inflammation, and immune response in disease settings such as cancer and peripheral arterial disease. These data-driven computational platforms that he built were used to identify and evaluate novel therapeutic strategies, with the potential to improve disease outcomes in patients. Chen’s research adviser is Aleksander S. Popel, Ph.D., in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. (See more about the award at the program’s website)”
