Thomas Chen

Professor Chen received his Ph.D. degree in Genetics from the University of Alberta, Canada, in 1973. From 1973 to 1977 he did post-doctoral research training on the action of juvenile hormone in insect reproduction at Queen’s University, Canada. From 1977 to 1986, Dr. Chen served as an Assistant and Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, McMaster University, Canada. Upon the invitation by the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI), Dr. Chen joined the institute in 1986 as a professor and devoted his research on the regulation of growth in finfish and shellfish by growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I and –II. He also served as the Associate Director for Faculty and Research Development at the Center of Marine Biotechnology, UMBI from 1987 to1990, and as the Associate Provost of UMBI from 1990 to 1994. In 1995, Professor Chen was recruited by the University of Connecticut to head the Biotechnology Center and also serve as a professor at the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology. He stepped down from the directorship of the Biotechnology Center in July 2002 and continues to serve as a professor in the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology. During the past 34 years, Professor Chen has made numerous important contributions in the areas of fish molecular endocrinology and biotechnology. These contributions include: (i) identified and cloned two growth hormone genes and insulin-like growth factor-I and –II genes from rainbow trout; (ii) established various gene transfer technologies for aquatic animals; (iii) produce transgenic fish with enhanced growth rate and disease resistance by the gene transfer technology; (iv) discovered a protein from fish and human that possesses strong anti-tumor activities. Professor Chen has recruited in excess of 10 million dollars of research funding to support his scientific pursuits, and has published 150 scientific papers in peer-reviewed international journals.