Journal of Molecular Biomarkers & Diagnosis

Yongping Chen

Yongping Chen
Senior Director, Department of Pharmacology
Noble Life Sciences, USA

Biography

Dr. Yongping Chen (MD, PHD) was born in Anhui Province, China, in 1975. He earned his B.S. degree from Anhui Medical University, where he studied from 1994 to 1999. He went on to pursue his Ph.D. at the University of Science and Technology of China, conducting research in the Nano-Biological Laboratory of the Institute of Life Science from 2002 to 2007. His doctoral work focused on drug delivery systems and cancer treatment.

Following his Ph.D., Dr. Chen completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington, where he worked in the Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, he joined Johns Hopkins University as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. There, his research concentrated on biomedical optics, optical imaging, and the development of advanced instrumentation for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and contributed to numerous collaborative projects in translational biomedical engineering.

Dr. Chen currently serves as the Senior Director of Pharmacology at Noble Life Sciences, where he leads efforts in preclinical research and development.

Selected publications from a total of ~40 publications

1. Y. P. Chen, Y. Y. Shen, X. Guo, C. S. Zhang, W. J. Yang, M. L. Ma, S. Liu, M. B. Zhang and L. P. Wen, “Transdermal protein delivery by a coadministered peptide identified via phage display,” Nature Biotechnology, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 455–460, 2006.

2. X. M. Wan, Y. P. Chen, W. R. Xu, W. J. Yang and L. P. Wen, “Identification of nose-to-brain homing peptide through phage display,” Peptides, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 343–350, 2009.

3. J. F. Xi, Y. C. Wu, T. H. Kim, Y. P. Chen, D. S. Zheng, L. Huo, M. C. Cobb, S. Z. Pun, J. H. Hwang and X. D. Li, “Endomicroscopy and Biocompatible Fluorescence Nanocomplex for Clinical Translation of High-resolution Optical Molecular Imaging,” IEEE 2009, pp. 48–51.

4. T. H. Kim, Y. P. Chen, C.W. Mount, W. R. Gombotz, X. D. Li, and S. H. Pun “Evaluation of Temperature-Sensitive, Indocyanine Green-Encapsulating Micelles for Noninvasive Near-Infrared Tumor Imaging,” Pharmaceutical Research 2010, 27:1900-1913

5. K. Murari, Y. Y. Zhang, S. P. Li, Y. P. Chen, M. J. Li and X. D. Li, “Compensation free all-fiber-optic two-photon endomicroscopy at 1.55 μm,” Optics Letters 2011, 36(7):1299–1301.

6. Q. G. Yang, Q. Zhang, Y. P. Chen, L. Cao, W. Jiang and G. H. Chen, “Functional recovery of injured sciatic nerve by intraperitoneal injection of multiwalled carbon nanotubes,” Neural Regeneration Research 2011, 6(7):505–509.

7. Y. P. Chen, X. D. Li, “Near-infrared Fluorescent Nanocapsules with Reversible Response to Thermo/pH Modulation for optical imaging,” Biomacromolecules 2011, 12 (12): 4367-4372

8. F. Wang, X. L. Zhou, Q. G. Yang, W. H. Xu, F. Wang, Y. P. Chen and G. H. Chen, “A peptide that binds specifically to the β-amyloid of Alzheimer's disease: Selection and assessment of anti-β-amyloid neurotoxic effects,” PLoS ONE 2011, 6(11):e27649, 1–9.

9. Y. P. Chen, Y. Y. Zhang, W. X. Liang and X. D. Li, “Gold Nanocages as Contrast Agents for Two-photon Luminescence Endomicroscopy Imaging,” Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine 2012, 8(8):1267-1270.

10. Y. P. Chen*, G. H. Chen, Y. X. Zhao and W. Wang, “Indocyanine Green-Loaded Nanocarriers as Contrast Agents for NIR Fluorescent Optical Imaging,” Journal of Nanomedicine & Nanotechnology 2012, 3(8):1000e122-1–2. *Corresponding Author

11. Y. H. Zhan, G. H. Chen, Y. P. Chen* and Y. X. Zhao*, “Clinical application of SIRT1 for diabetes therapy,” Journal of Pharmacogenomics & Pharmacoproteomics 2012, 3:e121. doi:10.4172/2153-0645.1000e121 *Corresponding Author

12. L. Cao, F. Wang, Q. G. Yang, W. Jiang, C. Wang, Y. P. Chen and G. H. Chen, “Reduced thyroid hormones with increased hippocampal SNAP-25 and Munc18-1 might involve cognitive impairment during aging,” Behavioural Brain Research 2012, 229(1):131–137.

13. J. F. Xi, Y. P. Chen, K. Murari, Y. Y. Zhang, M. J. Li and X. D. Li, “Integrated multimodal endomicroscopy platform for simultaneous en face optical coherence and two-photon fluorescence imaging,” Optics Letters 2012, 37(3):362–364.

14. W. X. Liang, K. Murari, Y. Y. Zhang, Y. P. Chen and X. D. Li, “Scanning fiber optic two-photon excitation endomicroscopy with reduced photo damage and precision focal position localization,” Journal of Biomedical Optics 2012, 17:021108-1–5.

15. J. Mavadia, J. F. Xi, Y. P. Chen and X. D. Li, “An all-fiber-optic endoscopy platform for simultaneous OCT and fluorescence imaging,” Biomedical Optics Express 2012, 3(11):2851–2859.

16. J. M. Christensen, G. A. Brat, K. E. Johnson, Y. P. Chen, K. J. Buretta, D. S. Cooney, G. Brandacher, W. P. A. Lee, X. D. Li, and J. M. Sacks, “Monocytes loaded with indocyanine green as active homing contrast agents permit optical differentiation of infectious and non-infectious inflammation,” PLoS ONE 2013, 8(11):e81430.

17. L. Cao, W. Jiang, F. Wang, Q. G. Yang, C. Wang, Y. P. Chen and G. H. Chen, “The reduced serum free triiodothyronine and increased dorsal hippocampal SNAP-25 and Munc18-1 had existed in middle-aged CD-1 mice with mild spatial cognitive impairment,” Behavioral Brain Research 2012, 229(1):131–137.

18. J. F. Xi, Y. P. Chen and X. D. Li, “Characterizing optical properties of nano contrast agents by using cross-referencing OCT imaging,” Biomedical Optics Express 2013, 4(6):842.

19. W. Wang, G. H. Chen and Y. P. Chen*, “Nanotechnology as a platform for thermal therapy of prostate cancer,” Journal of Molecular Biomarkers & Diagnosis 2013, 4(2):e117 *Corresponding Author

20. W. Wang, M. Tong, Y. Zhang, Y. P. Chen*, “Peptides identified through phage display for prostate cancer imaging and therapy,” Journal of Pharmacogenomics & Pharmacoproteomics, 2015, 6(4):1000e150. *Corresponding Author

21. L. S. Yan, H. Q. Wang, A. Q. Zhang, C. Zhao, Y. P. Chen, X. D. Li, “Bright and stable near-infrared Pluronic–silica nanoparticles as contrast agents for in vivo optical imaging,” Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 4(33), pp. 5560–5566

22. Bo, S., Y. Yuan, Y. P. Chen, Z. G. Yang, S. Z. Chen, X. Zhou, and Z. X. Jiang, “In vivo drug tracking with 19F MRI at therapeutic dose,” Chemical Communications 2018, 54(31):3875–3878.

23. Li, Y., X. Wang, Y. P. Chen, Z. G. Yang, and Z. X. Jiang, “Monodisperse polyethylene glycol ‘brushes’ with enhanced lipophilicity, and thermo and plasma stability,” Chemical Communications 2019, 55(13):1895–1898.

24. C . N. Wilson and Y. P. Chen, “A novel intratumor immunotherapy for prostate cancer targets the A1 adenosine receptor,” Journal of Urology & Renal Health 2023, 2:1–14.

25. Y. P. Chen *, J. F. Xi, D. Lee, J. Ramella-Roman and X. D. Li*, “Gold nanocages as scattering contrast agents for optical coherence tomography,” bioRxiv 2025, 2025-03. (submitted to Materials Science & Engineering B) *Corresponding Author

26. Y. P. Chen*, J. F. Xi, D. Lee, J. Ramella-Roman and X. D. Li*, “Gold nanocages with a long SPR peak wavelength as contrast agents for optical coherence tomography imaging at 1060 nm,” bioRxiv 2025, 2025-03 (Nanomaterials Accepted) *Corresponding Author

27. Y. P. Chen* and X. D. Li*, “pH-sensitive optical nanocomposites using polymer-coated gold nanorods,” bioRxiv 2025, 2025-03. (submitted to Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical) *Corresponding Author

28. Y. P. Chen* J. F. Xi and X. D. Li*, “Multifunctional polymer-coated gold nanorods for active targeting, NIR imaging, two-photon imaging, and photothermal therapy (submitted to Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine *Corresponding Author

Research Interest

Yongping Chen’s research interests include biomedical applications of nanoparticles, in vivo tumor imaging and treatment, drug delivery, and phage display. He specializes in oncology, with extensive experience in cancer models (orthotopic, xenograft, PDX, humanized) and immunotherapies such as CAR T, checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, and biologics (ADCs, BiTEs, BsAbs). His work also spans autoimmune and inflammatory disease models (e.g., lupus, IBD, RA, MS), infectious diseases, and preclinical studies including PK/PD, toxicity, and efficacy assessments.