Sha-Yu Chen, Ph.D.

Education:Sha-Yu Chen, Ph.D. 

B.S., Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China; 1982
M.S., Biochemistry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China; 1985
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China; 1991
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC; 1998 

Curriculum Vitae 

Current Positions: 

Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Louisville
University Scholar, University of Louisville
Member, James Graham Brown Cancer Center 

Contact Information: 

 Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology
Clinical & Translational Research Building, 518
505 South Hancock Street
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone:  502/852-8677
Email: 

Research Description: 

Dr. Chen’s laboratory is interested in investigating the potential association between prenatal exposure to alcohol or other environmental agents and fetal initiated cancers. 

Literature Cited: 

  1. Teng Y, Xu F, Zhang X, Mu J, Sayed M, Hu X, Lei C, Sriwastva M, Kumar A, Sundaram K, Zhang L, Park JW, Chen SY, Zhang S, Yan J, Merchant ML, Zhang X, McClain CJ, Wolfe JK, Adcock RS, Chung D, Palmer KE, Zhang HG.  Plant-derived exosomal microRNAs inhibit lung inflammation induced by exosomes SARS-CoV-2 Nsp12.  Molecular Therapy 2021 May 11:S1525-0016(21)00257-4.  doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.05.005.  Epub ahead of print.  PMID: 33984520.  PMCID: PMC8110335.
  2. Li Y, Fan H, Yuan F, Lu L, Liu J, Feng W, Zhang HG, Chen SY.  Sulforaphane protects against ethanol-induced apoptosis in human neural crest cells through diminishing ethanol-induced hypermethylation at the promoters of the genes encoding the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins.  Frontiers in Cell & Developmental Biology 2021 Feb 9;9:622152. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.622152.  PMID: 33634123.  PMCID: PMC7900432.
  3. Yuan F, Yun Y, Fan H, Li Y, Lu L, Liu J, Feng W, Chen SY.  MicroRNA-135a protects against ethanol-induced apoptosis in neural crest cells and craniofacial defects in Zebrafish by modulating the Siah1/p38/p53 pathway.  Frontiers in Cell & Developmental Biology 2020 Oct 2;8:583959.  doi: 10.3389/fcell.2020.583959.  PMID: 33134300.  PMCID: PMC7561719.
  4. Li Y, Yuan F, Wu T, Lu L, Liu J, Feng W, Chen SY.  Sulforaphane protects against ethanol-induced apoptosis in neural crest cells through restoring epithelial-mesenchymal transition by epigenetically modulating the expression of Snail1.  Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Molecular Basis of Disease 2019 Oct 1;1865(10):2586-2594.  doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.07.002.  Epub 2019 Jul 8.  PMID: 31295528.  PMCID: PMC6708741.
  5. Fan H, Yuan F, Yun Y, Wu T, Lu L, Liu J, Feng W, Chen SY.  MicroRNA-34a mediates ethanol-induced impairment of neural differentiation of neural crest cells by targeting autophagy-related gene 9a.  Experimental Neurology 2019 Oct;320:112981.  doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.112981.  Epub 2019 Jun 24.  PMID: 31247197.  PMCID: PMC6708457.
  6. Yuan F, Chen SY.  Manipulation of microRNAs in cultured mouse embryos: Applications for developmental toxicology.  Methods in Molecular Biology 2018;1797:205-214.  doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7883-0_10.  PMID: 29896694.
  7. Wang K, Chen X, Liu J, Zou LP, Feng W, Cai L, Wu X, Chen SY.  Embryonic exposure to ethanol increases the susceptibility of larval zebrafish to chemically induced seizures.  Scientific Reports 2018 Jan 30;8(1):1845.  doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-20288-2.  PMID: 29382872.  PMCID: PMC5789864.
  8. Yuan F, Chen X, Liu J, Feng W, Cai L, Wu X, Chen SY.  Sulforaphane restores acetyl-histone H3 binding to Bcl-2 promoter and prevents apoptosis in ethanol-exposed neural crest cells and mouse embryos.  Experimental Neurology 2018 Feb;300:60-6.  doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.10.020.  Epub 2017 Oct 22.  PMID: 29069573.  PMCID: PMC5745274.
  9. Ma Y, Yue J, Zhang Y, Shi C, Odenwald M, Liang WG, Wei Q, Goel A, Gou X, Zhang J, Chen SY, Tang WJ, Turner JR, Yang F, Liang H, Qin H, Wu X.  ACF7 regulates inflammatory colitis and intestinal wound response by orchestrating tight junction dynamics.  Nature Communications 2017 May 25;8:15375.  doi: 10.1038/ncomms15375. Erratum in: Nature Communications 2017 Jul 11;8:16121.  PMID: 28541346.  PMCID: PMC5458510.
  10. Lee P, Jiang S, Li Y, Yue J, Gou X, Chen SY, Zhao Y, Schober M, Tan M, Wu X.  Phosphorylation of Pkp1 by RIPK4 regulates epidermal differentiation and skin tumorigenesis.  EMBO Journal 2017 Jul 3;36(13):1963-80.  doi: 10.15252/embj.201695679.  Epub 2017 May 15.  PMID: 28507225.  PMCID: PMC5494465.
  11. Liu Y, Zhao C, Xiao J, Liu L, Zhang M, Wang C, Wu G, Zheng MH, Xu LM, Chen YP, Mohammadi M, Chen SY, Cave M, McClain C, Li X, Feng W.  Fibroblast growth factor 21 deficiency exacerbates chronic alcohol-induced hepatic steatosis and injury.  Scientific Reports 2016 Aug 8;6:31026.  doi: 10.1038/srep31026.  PMID: 27498701.  PMCID: PMC4976373.
  12. Yuan F, Chen X, Liu J, Feng W, Wu X, Chen SY.  Up-regulation of Siah1 by ethanol triggers apoptosis in neural crest cells through p38 MAPK-mediated activation of p53 signaling pathway.  Archives in Toxicology 2017 Feb;91(2):775-84.  doi: 10.1007/s00204-016-1746-3.  Epub 2016 Jun 8.  PMID: 27270636.  PMCID: PMC5428080.
  13. Yue J, Zhang Y, Liang WG, Gou X, Lee P, Liu H, Lyu W, Tang WJ, Chen SY, Yang F, Liang H, Wu X.  In vivo epidermal migration requires focal adhesion targeting of ACF7.  Nature Communications 2016 May 24;7:11692.  doi: 10.1038/ncomms11692.  PMID: 27216888.  PMCID: PMC5476826.
  14. Liu H, Yue J, Huang H, Gou X, Chen SY, Zhao Y, Wu X.  Regulation of focal adhesion dynamics and cell motility by the EB2 and Hax1 protein complex.  Journal of Biological Chemistry 2015 Dec 25;290(52):30771-82.  doi: 10.1074/jbc.M115.671743.  Epub 2015 Nov 2.  PMID: 26527684.  PMCID: PMC4692207.
  15. Liu H, Yue J, Lei Q, Gou X, Chen SY, He YY, Wu X.  Ultraviolet B inhibits skin wound healing by affecting focal adhesion dynamics.  Photochemistry & Photobiology 2015 Jul-Aug;91(4):909-16.  doi: 10.1111/php.12462.  Epub 2015 May 16.  PMID: 25918970.  PMCID: PMC4513668.
  16. Chang HW, Chen SY, Chuang LY, Guleria S.  Toxicology and disease/cancer therapy in reactive oxygen species-mediated drugs and treatments.  Scientific World Journal 2015;2015:860563.  doi: 10.1155/2015/860563.  Epub 2015 Mar 10.  PMID: 25861684.  PMCID: PMC4377479.