Chen Lab
Mission
We strive to cultivate a diverse, equitable and vibrant academic environment that promotes innovative scientific discovery with collaborative teamwork and supports career advancement of all members with different career goals.
Research Overview
To discover novel molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation and transdifferentiation and its cross-talk with other cells in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and aging.
Figure: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2023 Jan, 43(1), 15-29
Research Projects
- Elucidate an essential role of oxidative stress-induced Runx2 in regulating vascular smooth muscle cell osteogenic differentiation and vascular calcification in atherosclerosis, diabetic vasculopathy and vascular aging.
- Discover the novel mechanisms underlying vascular osteoclasts in atherosclerotic vascular calcification.
- Discover the regulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation in vascular smooth muscle cell osteogenic differentiation and calcification in diabetes.
- Elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switch in pan-vascular pathology and their contribution to cognitive impairments and dementia.
Join Our Team
We are recruiting Research Staff, Graduate Students and Postdocs!
Contact
Richard Jones Hall
Room 1386
3222 SW Research Dr
Portland, OR 97239
P: 503.494.1547
Personnel

Yabing Chen, PhD, MBA, FAHA
Professor and Vice Chair for Research
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
chenyab@ohsu.edu
Yong Sun
Ph.D. Candidate
sunyo@ohsu.edu
Erandi Velazquez-Miranda
Postdoctoral Fellow
velazqer@ohsu.edu
Zhehao Zhu
Ph.D. Student (Biomedical Engineering)
zhuz@ohsu.edu
Links
- Meet the Review Editor: Yabing Chen (ATVB)
- Yabing Chen, Ph.D. Endowed Chair in Laboratory Medicine
- AHA/ATVB Vascular Biology Award
- A need for bananas? Dietary potassium regulates calcification of arteries (UAB News)
- Healthy Heart Diet: Potassium in Avocado Toast and Bananas May Prevent Disease (Newsweek)
- How too little potassium may contribute to cardiovascular disease (NIH Research Matters)
- Youtube highlights
- USA Today