Yu-Fen (Kathy) Chou
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Yu-Fen (Kathy) Chou, PhD

Director, External Systems Quality Unit, Newborn Screening Program
Clinical Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, College of Integrated Health Sciences, University at Albany
PhD, Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Postdoctoral training: Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital
Postdoctoral training: Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School
(518) 474-3043

Research Interests

Dr. Chou received her doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from UCLA and completed her postdoctoral fellowship training at Center for Regenerative Medicine in Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. At UCLA, Dr. Chou’s research focused on biomaterials and tissue engineering for bone and cartilage regeneration in mouse model.

Upon completion of her doctorate studying biomaterials and adult stem cells, Dr. Chou extended her research interest in understanding the molecular mechanism of pluripotency in embryonic stem (ES) cells and germline stem cells. A novel stem cell line was derived by Dr. Chou from murine blastocyst embryos using a combination of bFGF, ActivinA and BIO, and in the absence of LIF and BMP4, growth factors thought to be critical for murine ES cells. This novel blastocyst-derived stem cell line may serve as an important tool to enhance our understanding of stem cell biology. Dr. Chou has served as a Science Officer in the New York State Stem Cell Science (NYSTEM) program since 2008. 

In 2018, she joined the NYS Newborn Screening Program (NBSP) as the Director of External Systems Quality Unit and manages issues with broad impact on external stakeholders of newborn screening systems, such as birth hospitals and Specialty Care Centers for Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives. She has overseen the development and implementation of a Hospital Communication Portal in the Health Commerce System (HCS) to strengthen the partnership with more than 120 birth hospitals across NYS. Most recently, she is actively involved in establishing a secure online portal in HCS for newborn screening long-term follow-up (LTFU) by coordinating with clinical specialists to collect data pertinent to public health and clinical outcomes for affected children with an inherited metabolic disorder.

Dr. Chou has a faculty appointment in the Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMS), College of Integrated Health Sciences, University at Albany.

Select Publications
Kellar-Guenther Y, Barringer L, Raboin K, Nichols G, Chou KYF, Nguyen K, Burke A, Fawbush S, Meyer J, Dorsey M, Brower A, Chan K, Lietsch M, Taylor J, Caggana M, Sontag M. Defining the Minimal Long-Term Follow-Up Data Elements for Newborn Screening. Int J Neonatal Screen. 2024; 10 (2): 37. DOI: 10.3390/ijns10020037
Pubmed Web Address
Cohn J, Chou YF, Dees, R, Kohn M. Regulating Science: Genome Editing, the Embryo, and the Lives of Our Children. New York State Bar Association (NYSBA). Health Law Journal Special Edition: Legal Issues in Biotechnology. 2015; 20 (3): 33-43.
Chen HH, Welling M, Bloch DB, Muñoz J, Mientjes E, Chen X, Tramp C, Wu J, Yabuuchi A, Chou YF, Buecker C, Krainer A, Willemsen R, Heck AJ, Geijsen N. DAZL Limits Pluripotency, Differentiation, and Apoptosis in Developing Primordial Germ Cells. Stem Cell Reports. 2014; 3 (5): 892-904.
Pubmed Web Address
Chou YF, Yabuuchi A. Murine embryonic stem cell derivation, in vitro pluripotency characterization, and in vivo teratoma formation. Current Protocols in Toxicology. 2011; Chapter 2 Unit 2.22.
Pubmed Web Address
Chou YF, Zuk PA, Chang TL, Benhaim P, Wu BM. Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and BMP2: Part 1. BMP2-Treated Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Do Not Improve Repair of Segmental Femoral Defects. Connective Tissue Research. 2011; 52 (2): 109-18.
Pubmed Web Address
Zuk PA, Chou YF, Mussano F, Benhaim P, Wu BM. Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and BMP2: Part 2. BMP2 May Not Influence the Osteogenic Fate of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells. Connective Tissue Research. 2011; 52 (2): 119-32.
Pubmed Web Address
Chou YF, Chen HH, Eijpe M, Yabuuchi A, Chenoweth JG, Tesar P, Lu J, McKay RD, Geijsen N. The Growth Factor Environment Defines Distinct Pluripotent Ground States in Novel Blastocyst-Derived Stem Cells. Cell. 2008; 135 (3): 449-61.
Pubmed Web Address
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