Prof. Dr. Minjian Chen | Metabolism | Best Researcher Award
Prof. Dr. Minjian Chen, Nanjing Medical University, China
Professor Minjian Chen is a leading academic in toxicology and reproductive health at Nanjing Medical University (NMU). After earning both his Bachelor’s in Preventive Medicine (2008) and Ph.D. in Toxicology (2013) at NMU, he undertook postdoctoral research there and served as a guest researcher at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH. Since 2023, he has held a professorial position and was recognized as an Outstanding Young Backbone Teacher in Jiangsu’s prestigious “Qinglan Project.” His work spans reproductive toxicity, metabolomics, and exposomics, focusing on environmental and nutritional factors affecting fertility. With over 10 funded national and provincial research projects and numerous peer-reviewed publications, Professor Chen has significantly contributed to understanding spermatogenic dysfunction and metabolic profiling in reproductive biology. He continues to push boundaries in public health and environmental toxicology.
Publication Profile:
✅ Strengths for the Award:
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Strong Academic Foundation
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Bachelor’s and Ph.D. in Preventive Medicine and Toxicology from a top Chinese institution (Nanjing Medical University).
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Postdoctoral research and international exchange experience, including at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH/NIEHS).
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Outstanding Research Leadership
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Principal Investigator (PI) for multiple competitive national and provincial grants, with over ¥2 million in individual research funding and participation in projects exceeding ¥70 million total budget.
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Active contributor in 11 funded research projects, with core themes on reproductive toxicology, metabolomics, and AI-based diagnostics.
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High-Impact Publications
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Recent publications in top-tier international journals including EMBO Journal, Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, IJMS, Theriogenology, and Toxics.
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Regular authorship and collaborations on cutting-edge studies in exposomics, spermatogenesis, and reproductive metabolomics.
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Recognition and Honors
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Named Outstanding Young Backbone Teacher under Jiangsu’s “Qinglan Project”.
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Appointed Distinguished Young Academic Leader at Nanjing Medical University.
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Interdisciplinary & Translational Approach
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Work spans basic toxicology, systems biology, and big-data-driven clinical research, positioning him well for translational impact in reproductive health and environmental medicine.
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⚠️ Areas for Improvement:
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Expanded Global Visibility
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While Prof. Chen has published widely, further collaboration with global institutions could help amplify international recognition.
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Clinical Translation
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While he has contributed to diagnostic R&D and cohort-based studies, greater emphasis on real-world clinical application or intervention trials could boost impact and societal benefit.
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Leadership in Multi-National Consortia
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Assuming leadership roles in global consortia or organizations could further solidify his position as a top-tier researcher.
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🎓 Education:
Professor Minjian Chen pursued his entire academic training at Nanjing Medical University, beginning with a Bachelor’s degree in Preventive Medicine from 2003 to 2008. His passion for understanding environmental impacts on human health led him to complete a Ph.D. in Toxicology between 2008 and 2013. During his doctoral studies, he specialized in reproductive toxicology, investigating the metabolic mechanisms by which environmental toxins affect male fertility. Following his doctorate, he deepened his expertise with postdoctoral training (2013–2018) at the NMU School of Basic Medicine. In 2014, he was selected for the China–Australia Young Scientist Exchange Program, an early recognition of his academic promise and leadership. His international exposure was further enhanced through a research fellowship at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH) from 2019 to 2020. This robust educational background laid a strong foundation for his research in reproductive health, metabolomics, and environmental toxicology.
💼 Experience:
Professor Chen began his academic career as a Lecturer at NMU in 2013, shortly after completing his Ph.D. Over the following decade, he rose through the ranks, becoming a Professor in 2023, thanks to his prolific research and educational contributions. Between 2013 and 2018, he completed an intensive postdoctoral fellowship at NMU, focusing on toxicological studies related to male reproductive health. In 2019–2020, he broadened his global research experience by joining the NIEHS at the U.S. NIH as a guest researcher. His teaching and mentorship have earned him several accolades, including Distinguished Young Academic Leader at NMU and Outstanding Young Backbone Teacher in Jiangsu’s “Qinglan Project.” Professor Chen also plays a vital role in large-scale, national R&D programs and key provincial projects in China, acting as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Sub-project PI in more than ten funded initiatives in toxicology, reproductive biology, and data-driven diagnostics.
🔬 Research Focus:
Professor Minjian Chen’s research is centered on environmental toxicology, reproductive health, and metabolomics. His primary scientific contributions lie in uncovering how environmental toxins—including phytochemicals, metals, and industrial chemicals—disrupt male fertility through metabolic pathways. His studies on arachidonic acid metabolism, n-6 PUFA pathways, and sorbitol metabolism have advanced our understanding of oligospermia and other reproductive dysfunctions. More recently, Professor Chen has explored the application of integrative omics (metabolomics + transcriptomics) in reproductive cells like oocytes and cumulus cells, providing insights into fertility and early development. He is also involved in big-data-driven diagnosis for pregnancy complications such as intrahepatic cholestasis and macrosomia, and in nationwide projects investigating genetic risks in ART offspring and structural birth defects. His work is highly interdisciplinary, blending toxicology, biochemistry, epidemiology, and computational biology to push the frontiers of precision reproductive health and environmental health sciences.
📚 Publications Top Notes:
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🧬 Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3 (Toxics, 2025)
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🧫 Characterization of Metabolic Patterns in Mouse Spermatogenesis and Its Clinical Implications in Humans (IJMS, 2025)
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🧪 A Metabolome and Microbiome Analysis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Insights into the Carnosine–Histidine Metabolic Pathway (Toxics, 2024)
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🐷 Characterization of Metabolic Patterns in Porcine Cumulus Cells During Meiotic Maturation (Theriogenology, 2024)
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🐐 Combined Analysis of Temporal Metabolomics and Transcriptomics in Goat Oocytes During Maturation (Theriogenology, 2024)
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🧍 Exposure to Molybdate Results in Metabolic Disorder: Urine Elementome and Serum Metabolome in Mice (Toxics, 2024)
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🧬 Integrative Omics Reveals the Metabolic Patterns During Oocyte Growth (Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2024)
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🌐 The Global Phosphorylation Landscape of Mouse Oocytes During Meiotic Maturation (EMBO Journal, 2024)
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⚗️ Environmental Chemical Exposomics and Metabolomics in Toxicology: The Latest Updates (Toxics, 2024)
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👶 Cohort Profile: The Jiangsu Birth Cohort (International Journal of Epidemiology, 2023)
📝 Conclusion:
Professor Minjian Chen is highly suitable for the Best Researcher Award. His consistent research excellence, broad project leadership, publication strength, and interdisciplinary work make him a standout candidate. His research is not only scientifically rigorous but also socially relevant—targeting reproductive health challenges through environmental and metabolic lenses. With additional emphasis on global outreach and clinical application, Prof. Chen’s impact could become even more transformative.