Jiangang Chen

Jiangang Chen, MD, PhD researches potential environmental impacts on human reproduction, with a special interest in effects of endocrine disruptors (EDS) on the homeostasis of endogenous hormones. A considerable part of his research has been focused on a wide variety of synthetic compounds with intrinsic hormonal activity that may have adverse effects on human health. Exposure to EDS may change the balance of endogenous hormones, i.e. between estrogen signaling and androgen signaling; and thus, may contribute to the pathology of many hormone responsive diseases, including prostate and breast cancers.

Many of these compounds are manufactured and released in large quantities into the environment. While the EDS properties of many pesticides have been well documented and their applications are tightly regulated, the toxicity and human exposure levels to the enormous numbers of non-pesticide synthetic chemicals are largely unclear. These compounds are ubiquitous in our daily life, either present in many personal care products or potentially leaching out of plastics, carpets and food packages.

In addition, using animal models, his group studies the in utero exposure of EDS during pregnancy to elucidate if early exposure could change the trajectory of the fetus in later life, which could considerably increase social and medical burdens.