Dr. Emily Chen

I was part of the DaCosta Lab from 2009-2016, during which I helped to pioneer the first animal window chamber models, used to study the tumor microenvironment.  In re-joining the lab, I am responsible for conducting animal surgeries involving the use of our novel window chamber systems for direct microscopy imaging of human orthotopic tumors.  I will also help lead the development and validation of new intravital imaging models of cancer including solid cancers (e.g. pancreatic, brain and breast tumors) and hematological cancers (e.g. leukemia).  Our lab pioneered the use of intravital multimodal imaging of cancers to study treatment response specifically within the tumor microenvironment, which has led to important new discoveries through local, national and international collaborations.

Ulndreaj A, Li A, Chen Y, Besla R, Pacheco A, Althagafi M, Cybulsky M, Lindsay T, Robbins C, and Byrne J. Adventitial recruitment of Lyve-1- macrophages drive aortic aneurysm in an angiotensin-2-based murine model. ATVB. In Submission.

Thayaparan D, Besla R, Emoto T, Al-Chami E, Nejat S, Pacheco S, Vohra S, McGrath J, Cass S, Chen Y, Byrne J, Husain M, Libby P, Rubin B, Cybulsky M, Epelman S, Stampfli M, Robbins C. Atherosclerotic plaque macrophages drive cigarette smoke-induced aortic aneurysm, rupture, and death. JCI. In Submission. 

Yao Y, Jeyanathan M, Haddadi S, Barra N, Vaseghi-Shanjani M, Damjanovic D, Lai R, Afkhami S, Chen Y, Dvorkin-Gheva A, Robbins C, Schertzer J, and Zhou X. Induction of Autonomous Memory Alveolar Macrophages Requires T Cell Help and Is Critical to Trained Immunity. Cell. November 29, 2018

Chen Y, Maeda A, Bu J, DaCosta R. Femur window chamber model for in vivo cell tracking in the murine bone marrow. The Journal of Visualized Experiments July 2016.

Li J, Cai P, Shalviri A, Henderson JT, He C, Foltz WD, Prasad P, Brodersen PM, Chen Y, DaCosta R, Rauth AM, Wu XY. Multifunctional polymeric nanotheranostic system delivers doxorubicin and imaging agents across the blood-brain barrier targeting brain metastases of breast cancer. ACS Nano. Oct 28, 2014 

Wu YC, Kulbatski I, Medeiros PJ, Maeda A, Bu J, Xu L, Chen Y, DaCosta RS. Autofluorescence imaging device for real-time detection and tracking of pathogenic bacteria in a mouse skin wound model: preclinical feasibility studies. J Biomed Opt. Aug 19, 2014

Ottolino-Perry K, Tang N, Head R, Ng C, Arulanandam R, Angarita FA, Acuna SA, Chen Y, Bell J, DaCosta RS and McCart JA. Tumor vascularization is critical for oncolytic vaccinia virus treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis. IJC. Feb 2014      

Fisher CJ1, Niu CJ, Lai B, Chen Y, Kuta V, Lilge LD. Modulation of PPIX synthesis and accumulation in various normal and glioma cell lines by modification of the cellular signaling and temperature. Lasers Surg Med Aug 19, 2013

Figley SA and Chen Y, Maeda A, Conroy L, McMullen JD, Silver JI, Stapleton S, Vitkin A, Lindsay P, Burrell K, Zadeh G, Fehlings MG, DaCosta RS A spinal cord window chamber model for in vivo longitudinal multimodal optical and acoustic imaging in a murine model. PLOS ONE March 14, 2013

Maeda A, Leung MK, Conroy L, Chen Y, Bu J, Lindsay PE, Mintzberg S, Virtanen C, Tsao J, Winegarden NA, Wang Y, Morikawa L, Vitkin IA, Jaffray DA, Hill RP, DaCosta RS. In vivo optical imaging of tumor and microvascular response to ionizing radiation. PLOS ONE August 22, 2012

Roy M1, Niu CJ, Chen Y, McVeigh PZ, Shuhendler AJ, Leung MK, Mariampillai A, DaCosta RS, Wilson BC. Estimation of minimum doses for optimized quantum dot contrast-enhanced vsacular imaging in vivo. Small-Journal Jun 11, 2012

Wang Y1, Roche O, Xu C, Moriyama EH, Heir P, Chung J, Roos FC, Chen Y, Finak G, Milosevic M, Wilson BC, Teh BT, Park M, Irwin MS, Ohh M. Hypoxia promotes ligand-independent EGF receptor signaling via hypoxia-inducible factor-mediated upregulation of caveolin-1. PNAS Mar 27, 2012

Li L, El-Hayek YH, Yao L, Chen Y, Gomez E, Wu X, Ning K, Li LJ, Chang N, Zhang L, Wang Z, Hu X, Wan Q. Direct-current Electrical Field Guides Neuronal Stem/progenitor Cell Migration. STEM CELLS. June 12, 2008

Bell JD, Ai J, Chen Y, Baker AJ.  Mild In Vitro Trauma Induces Rapid GluR2 Endocytosis, Robustly Augments Calcium Permeability, and Enhances Susceptibility to Secondary Excitotoxic Insult in Purkinje cells. Brain. 2007; 130(Pt10):2528-42.

Ai J, Liu E, Wang J, Chen Y, Yu J, Baker AJ. Calpain Inhibitor MDL-28170 Reduces the Functional and Structural Deterioration of Corpus Callosum Following Fluid Percussion Injury. Journal of Neurotrauma. 2007; 24(6): 960-78.

Liu B, Liao M, Mielke JG, Ning K, Chen Y, Li L, , EI-Hayek YH, Gomez E, Zukin RS, Fehlings MG, Wan Q. Ischemic insults direct glutamate receptor subunit 2-lacking AMPA receptors to synaptic sites. Journal of Neuroscience. 2006; 26: 5309-19.

Ning K, Li L, Liao M, Liu B, Mielke JG, Chen Y, Duan Y, El-Hayek YH, Wan Q. Circadianregulation of GABA-A receptor function by CKIepsilon-CKIdelta in the rat suprachiasmatic nuclei. Nature Neuroscience. 2004; 7: 489-490.

Ning K, Pei L, Liao M, Liu B, Zhang Y, Jiang W, Mielke JG, Li L, Chen Y, El-Hayek YH, FehlingsMG, Zhang X, Liu F, Eubanks J, Wan Q. Dual neuroprotective signaling mediated by downregulating two distinct phosphatase activities of PTEN. Journal of Neuroscience. 2004; 24: 4052-60.

Email: Yonghong.Chen2@uhn.ca