Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Yvonne Chen
Professor
- 1602 Mol Sci Bldg
- yvchen@ucla.edu
- (310) 825-2816
Faculty Information
Research and Interests
- Synthetic biology
- Cell-based immunotherapy
Notable Publications and Books
In the News
- Cytokine-armored CAR-T Cell Therapy Helps Eliminate Aggressive Brain Tumors in Preclinical Study UCLA Health, May 2026
- UCLA Researchers Engineer CAR-T Cells to Target Hard-to-Treat Solid Tumors | UCLA Health, March 2026
- The First Patients Have Been Helped by Cancer-fighting Cells Made Directly in Their Bodies | Science, December 2025
- New Approach Enables Body to Engineer its Own Cells to Fight Cancer or Autoimmunity | Science, June 2025
- Researchers Are Developing Bispecific CAR Proteins to “Wake Up” the Immune Systems of Cancer Patients | Pharmacy Times, October 2022
Education
- B.S. Stanford University, 2004
- Ph.D. California Institute of Technology, 2011
- Postdoc, Harvard Medical School, 2013
Awards and Recognition
- Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award, October 2018
- Rose Hills Foundation Innovation Award, July 2018
- Northrop Grumman Excellence in Teaching Award, October 2017
- Member Researcher, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. November 2016
- National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2016
- Young Investigator Award in Cell and Gene Therapy for Cancer, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, 2016
- Hellman Fellowship, 2015
- NIH Director’s Early Independence Award, 2012
- Harvard University William F. Milton Fund, 2012
- Junior Fellowship, Harvard Society of Fellows, 2011-2014