Dr. Lih-Shen Chin
Dr. Lih-Shen Chin is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Chin received his Ph.D. degree from the University of California at Davis and completed his postdoctoral training in molecular and cellular neurosciences with Nobel Laureate Dr. Paul Greengard at the Rockefeller University. The Chin Lab has a track record of doing basic and translational neurodegeneration research, with a particular focus on the molecular pathogenic mechanisms of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer Disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and dystonia. Research from the Chin Lab has contributed significantly to the characterization of the molecular machinery and regulatory mechanisms governing the clearance of misfolded proteins by the ubiquitin–proteasome system and the aggresome–autophagy pathway. Dr. Chin and his team have identified novel molecular pathways by which mutations in familial Parkinson’s disease proteins (e.g., a-synuclein, DJ-1, Parkin, and PINK1) lead to neurodegeneration and uncovered new players in the PD pathogenic pathways. Furthermore, his research team has provided insights into the roles of oxidative stress and gene-environment interactions in the pathogenesis of sporadic PD. In addition, work by the Chin Lab has revealed new proteins and mechanisms involved in dystonia pathogenesis. Dr. Chin’s current NIH-funded research addresses an important yet understudied area of dementia research and uses an integrative approach that combines proteomics and glycoproteomics with network biology to determine disease-associated changes in brain proteome and glycoproteome of PD and DLB patients and identify new biomarkers and targets for improving Lewy body dementia diagnosis and treatment.