Yu-Fen (Kathy) Chou, Ph.D.
Research Interests
Dr. Chou received her doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from University of California, Los Angeles 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. A new type of bio-conductive material, termed accelerated biomimetic apatite, was created by Dr. Chou to promote bone regeneration. Three dimensional biodegradable scaffolds incorporated with accelerated apatite and adipose tissue-derived stem cells were proven to heal critical size calvarial defects in mouse model.
Upon completion of her doctorate working on biomaterials and adult stem cells, Dr. Chou decided to extend 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 (designated FAB-SCs). FAB-SCs are derived in the absence of LIF and BMP4, growth factors thought to be critical for the maintenance of murine ES cells. FAB-SCs display intriguing molecular and phenotypic properties. This novel blastocyst-derived stem cell line may serve as an important tool to enhance our understanding of stem cell biology.
In 2008, Dr. Chou joined the New York State Stem Cell Science (NYSTEM) program as a Science Officer based on her expertise in the emerging field of stem cell and regenerative medicine. In addition to her administrative role in NYSTEM, Dr. Chou has a faculty appointment in the Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMS), University at Albany.