Jun-An Chen

Research Fellow, IMB

Non-coding RNA Function during Neural Development, Degeneration, and Regeneration

Our laboratory's focus is to elucidate how neurons establish individual identity in the developing nervous system and why only specific neuron subtypes are vulnerable to neurodegenerative diseases. We tackle these questions by studying non-coding RNAs and their roles in motor neuron generation and degeneration. "DNA→RNA→Protein" is the central dogma of molecular biology, in which RNA is served as a temporary template from interpreting genetic information to functional proteins. Surprisingly, new sequencing technology of mammalian transcriptomes has revealed that more than 50% of RNA transcripts do not possess protein-coding elements, thus termed as non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Although ncRNAs have been drawing increasing attention in recent years, the functions of most non-coding RNAs are still undefined. This is mainly due to the lack of a powerful method to systematically test their roles in a given cell type. There are two major classes of regulatory non-coding RNAs: 1) small RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) that are participated in the repression and fine-tuning of protein expression and 2) less well apprehended long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are mainly shown to act as mediators for epigenome regulation. As the developing spinal cord is arguably the best-characterized developmental process in the embryonic central nervous system, our laboratory uses embryonic stem (ES) cells as a tool to systematically study ncRNA functions during motor neuron differentiation. We focus on three major questions: 1. miRNA and patterning in the developing spinal cord. 2. ncRNAs and motor neuron subtype generation and degeneration. 3. Apply ncRNAs to differentiate motor neuron subtypes from ES cells molecular mechanism by which RNA decay controls anaerobic cell growth.

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  • PDF, 2007-2012, Dept. Pathol. Cell Biol., Columbia Univ., USA
  • Ph.D., 2006, Gurdon Inst., Univ. Cambridge, UK
  • MS, 1999, Inst. Biochem. Sci., Natl. Taiwan Univ.
  • BS, 1997, Dept. Chemistry, Natl. Chung Cheng Univ.
  • 2024, NSTC Outstanding Research Award (國科會傑出研究獎/第二次)
  • 2023, NHRI multiple time awardee (國衛院整合性計畫經費補助達三次)
  • 2021~2023, Academia Sinica Presidential Scholars Program (中研院特優學術研究獎)
  • 2020~2025, MOST Frontier Science Research Program (科技部尖端研究計畫)
  • 2020, MOST Outstanding Research Award (科技部傑出研究獎)
  • 2019, Outstanding Alumni Award of National Chung Cheng University (國立中正大學傑出校友)
  • 2019, The 15th TienTe Lee Award-Young Scientists, TienTe Lee Biomedical Foundation (李天德青年醫藥獎)
  • 2018, Academia Sinica Junior Research Investigators Award (年輕學者著作獎)
  • 2018~2022, Academia Sinica Career Development Award (前瞻計畫)
  • 2012~2015, Taiwan National Science Council Talented Investigator Fellowship (延攬人才)
  • 2012~2014, Academia Sinica Investigator Fellowship (新聘學術獎)
  • 2008~2009, Taiwan National Science Council Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 2002~2006, The Wellcome Trust Scholarship
  1. Yen YP, Lung TH, Liau ES, Wu CC, Huang GL, Hsu FY, Chang M, Yang ZD, Huang CY, Zheng Z, Zhao W, Hung JH, He C, Nie Q, and Chen JA* (2025) The Motor Neuron m6A Repertoire Governs Neuronal Homeostasis and Augmented m6A Production Mitigates ALS Symptom Manifestation. Nature Communications 16, Article number: 4063.
    This article is highlighted by Academia Sinica (English) (Chinese). It is also featured in SceinceMagazine, GlobalBio.
  2. Hsu FY, Yen YP, Fan HC, Chang M, Chen JA* (2025) Sertm2 is a Conserved Micropeptide that Promotes GDNF-mediated Motor Neuron Subtype Specification. EMBO Rep 26: 2013-2043 (Cover featured article).
    This article is highlighted by Academia Sinica (English) (Chinese). It is also featured in ScienceMission.
  3. Hsu HC, Hsu SP, Hsu FY, Chang M, Chen JA* (2024) LncRNA Litchi is a Regulator for Harmonizing Maturity and Resilient Functionality in Spinal Motor Neurons. iScience Volume 27, Issue 3, 15 March 2024, 109207.
  4. Chen TH, Chang SH, Wu YF, Yen YP, Hsu FY, Chen YC, Ming Y, Hsu HC, Su YC, Wong ST, Hung JH, Chiou SH, Jong YH*, Chen JA* (2023) MiR34 Contribute s to Spinal Muscular Atrophy and AAV9-mediated Delivery of MiR34a Ameliorates the Motor Deficits in SMA Mice. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids v32, 13 June, Pages 144-160.
    This article is highlighted by Academia Sinica (English) (Chinese). It is also featured in a series of newspapers, inc libertytimes, udn, etc., and SMA News Today.
  5. Liau ES, Jin SQ, Chen YC, Liu WS, Calon M, Nedelec S, Nie Q*, Chen JA* (2023) Single-cell Transcriptomic Analysis Unveils the Diversity within Mammalian Spinal Motor Neurons. Nature Communications 14, Article number: 46 (Editor highlight’s featured article).
    This article is highlighted by Academia Sinica (English) (Chinese).
  6. Ma Q, Yang LY, Tolentino K, Wang GP, Zhao Y, Litzenburger UM, Shu QM, Zhu Lin, Yang C, Jiao HY, Zhang F, Li R, Tsai MC, Chen JA, Lai I, Li LJ, Chang HY (2022). Inducible LncRNA Transgenic Mice Reveal Continual Role of HOTAIR in promoting Breast Cancer Metastasis. eLife (DOI: 10.7554/eLife.79126).
  7. Li CJ, Liau ES, Lee YH, Huang YZ, Liu ZY, Willems A, Garside V, McGlinn E, Chen JA*, Tian H* (2021) MicroRNA Governs Bistable Cell Differentiation and Lineage Segregation via a Noncanonical Feedback. Mol Syst Biol 17:e9945 (Cover featured article).
    This paper is highlighted in the news of UTK.
  8. Chang SH, Su YC, Chang M, Chen JA*. (2021) MicroRNAs Mediate Precise Control of Spinal Interneuron Populations to Exert Delicate Sensory-to-motor Outputs. eLife (DOI: 10.7554/eLife.63768).
    This article is selected as a showcase for featured eLife Science Digests, and the “Biomedical Picture of the Day” by MRC UK.
  9. Tung YT*, Peng KC, Chen, YC, Yen YP, Chang M, Thams S, Chen JA*. (2019) Mir-17~92 Confers Motor Neuron Subtype Differential Resistance to ALS-Associated Degeneration. Cell Stem Cell Aug 1;25(2):193-209 (Cover featured article).
    This article has been recommended by F1000 by Andrew Yoo: 2019.This article is highlighted by Academi a Sinica (English) (Chinese). The Academia Sinica Facebook. It is also featured in a series of newspapers, inc LibertyTimes, UDN, ChinaTimes, etc., reported by international media: BioArt, Taipei Times, BioCentury, Asia Pacific Biotech News.
  10. Yen YP, Hsieh WF, Tsia YY, Lu YL, Liau ES ,Hsu HC, Chen YC, Liu TC, Chang M, Li J, Lin SP*, Hung JH*, Chen JA*. (2018) Dlk1-Dio3 Locus-Derived LncRNAs Perpetuate Postmitotic Motor Neuron Cell Fate and Subtype Identity. eLife (DOI: 10.7554/eLife.38080).
    This article is selected as a showcase for featured eLife Science Digests. and the “Biomedical Picture of the Day” by MRC UK.
  11. Liau ES, Yen YP, Chen JA*. (2018) Visualization of Motor Axon Navigation and Quantification of Axon Arborization In Mouse Embryos Using Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy. J. Vis. Exp. (135), e57546, doi:10.3791/57546.
  12. Li CJ, Hong T, Tung YT, Yen YP, Hsu HC, Lu YL, Chang M, Nie Q*, Chen JA*. (2017) MicroRNA filters Hox temporal transcription noise to confer boundary formation in the spinal cord. Nature Communications 8. Article number: 14685 (2017).
    This article is highlighted by Academia Sinica (English)(Chinese), and on the Academia Sinica Facebook. It has also been featured in Asia Pacific Biotech News.
  13. Tung YT, Lu YL, Peng KC, Yen YP, Chang M, Li J, Jung H, Thams S, Huang YP, Hung JH, Chen JA*. (2015) Mir-17∼92 Governs Motor Neuron Subtype Survival by Mediating Nuclear PTEN. Cell Reports. 2015 May 20. 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.04.050. (Cover featured article).
    This article has been highlighted by Science Signaling Editor’s Choice, Alzforum.org, The ALS Forum, and PanScience (泛科學).
  14. Anderegg A, Lin H-P, Chen J-A, Caronia-Brown G, Cherepanova N, et al. (2013) An Lmx1b-miR135a2 Regulatory Circuit Modulates Wnt1/Wnt Signaling and Determines the Size of the Midbrain Dopaminergic Progenitor Pool. PLoS Genetics 9(12): e1003973. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1003973.

REVIEWS AND BOOKS

  1. Chen JA* (2025). MiR-34 at the crossroads of SMA pathogenesis and therapy: Emerging biomarker and therapeutic targe. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids Volume 36, Issue 2, 10 June 2025, 102557.
  2. Wu YF*, Chen JA*, Jong YH* (2025). Treating neuromuscular diseases: unveiling gene therapy breakthroughs and pioneering future applications Journal of Biomedical Science 32, Article number: 30
  3. Yap XL & Chen JA* (2024). Elucidation of how the Mir-23-27-24 cluster regulates development and aging. Experimental & Molecular Medicine Jun 14
  4. Yen YP* & Chen JA* (2021). The m6A epitranscriptome on Neural Development and Degeneration. Journal of Biomedical Science 28; Article number: 40.
  5. Chen KW* & Chen JA*. (2020). Functional Roles of Long Non-coding RNAs in Motor Neuron Development and Disease. Journal of Biomedical Science 27; Article number: 38.
  6. Chen TH* & Chen JA*. (2019). Multifaceted Roles of MicroRNAs: From Motor Neuron Generation in Embryos to Degeneration in Spinal Muscular Atrophy. eLife 2019;8:e50848.
  7. Chen JA & Conn S. (2017). Canonical mRNA is the Exception rather than the Rule. Genome Biology 18:133.
Chen, Jun-An

Contact

Chen, Jun-An

Research Fellow

  • jac2210@gate.sinica.edu.tw
  • 886-2-2789-9227
  • Lab. N517, IMB

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