Liming Chen is the Molecular Pharmacology Highlighted Trainee Author for the April 2020 issue. Mr. Chen is a pre-doctoral trainee in the Department of Pharmaceutics at the University of Connecticut. His mentor is Professor Xiaobo Zhong. The Molecular Pharmacology article that earned his selection as a Highlighted Trainee Author is titled “Knockdown of LncRNAs HNF1α-AS1 and HNF4α-AS1 Alters Susceptibility of Acetaminophen-induced Cytotoxicity in HepaRG Cells” and is available at https://doi.org/10.1124/mol.119.118778.

Mr. Chen’s area of research is the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in drug metabolism. More specifically, he is interested in the regulation of drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) by lncRNAs, especially cytochrome P450s (P450s). Previous studies have identified several transcription factors (TFs) that regulate expression of P450s.  In his current research, he found that lncRNAs located near the genes of these TFs are also involved in the regulation of P450 expression. Manipulation of these lncRNAs could affect expression and function of P450s and downstream drug metabolism or toxicity.

The anticipated impact of Mr. Chen’s research is that it will open a new regulatory mechanism in DMEs and drug metabolism, which could help to improve clinical drug use.

When not in the lab, Liming enjoys spending time with his family, road trips, photography, and building computers.