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Ming Chen

Associate Professor of Pathology
Pathology
Duke Box 103863, Durham, NC 27710
905 S LaSalle St, GSRB1, Rm 2014, Durham, NC 27710

Overview


Our laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular and genetic events underlying cancer progression and metastasis. The focus of our work is a series of genetically engineered mouse models that faithfully recapitulate human disease. Using a combination of mouse genetics, omics technologies, cross-species analyses and in vitro approaches, we aim to identify cancer cell–intrinsic and –extrinsic mechanisms driving metastatic cancer progression, with a long–term goal of developing new therapeutic strategies for preventing and treating metastatic disease. 

Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor of Pathology · 2025 - Present Pathology, Clinical Science Departments
Associate Research Professor of Cell Biology · 2022 - Present Cell Biology, Basic Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2018 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers

Recent News Items


Published December 3, 2024
Research & Innovation Seed Grants Total Nearly $2 Million
Published May 17, 2023
Duke Pathology Newsletters
Duke Scientists Uncover Ferroptosis as a Potential “Achilles Heel” in RB1-Deficient Prostate Cancer
Published April 26, 2018
The New England Journal of Medicine
Prostate Cancer Metastasis — Fueled by Fat?

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Recent Scholarly Works


Near-infrared photochromic miniprotein enables photoacoustic molecular imaging of acute inflammation and intracellular antigens.

Journal article Nat Methods · October 13, 2026 Using near-infrared photoswitchable photochromic genetically encoded probes, differential photoacoustic tomography (PAT) enables deep-tissue imaging with high resolution and sensitivity; however, current bacteriophytochrome-based probes are bulky multidoma ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Programmable mRNA 3'UTR engineering restores MHC-I and overcomes immune evasion in prostate cancer.

Journal article Nat Biomed Eng · June 16, 2026 Immune-cold tumours such as prostate cancer often resist immune checkpoint therapies (ICT) due to impaired antigen presentation via major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I). While MHC-I downregulation is a common immune evasion mechanism, no approv ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2026 - 2031

Innovative Single-Cell Multi-Omics 3D Genome Technology for Cancer Research

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2026 - 2029

Targeting NUAK2 in neuroendocrine prostate cancer

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2023 - 2027

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Education


University of Rochester · 2009 Ph.D.