Weisheng Chen, PhD

Dr. Weisheng Chen received his BS degree in Physiology, MS degree in Genetics, and PhD degree in Cell, Developmental and Neural Biology from Nanjing University, Peking University and the University of Michigan respectively. His carried out his dissertation study with molecular geneticist Philippe Soriano in gene trap mutagenesis, and conducted his postdoctoral research with molecular biology pioneer Tom Maniatis at Harvard and Columbia. Using gene editing, gene targeting, and chromosome engineering technologies, Dr. Chen systematically mutagenized and functionally characterized the clustered protocadherin gene family, revealing its central role in brain wiring and in the etiologies of neurological disorders. Prior to founding Leveragen in 2017, Dr. Chen was a founding scientist at Kallyope, Inc., where he led the genetic models group to functionally interrogate the gut-brain axis for novel therapeutics.