Jie Fan

Dr. Fan is an assistant professor from the Department of Natural Sciences at the University of Michigan, Dearborn. He is a cell biologist and bioengineer. His studies focus on developing novel in vitro models to investigate and understand the origin of chirality or 'handedness' in human cells. He also delves into the implications of cell chirality for human health, specifically related to cardiovascular physiology, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. His pioneering studies demonstrated that the handedness of cells is closely associated with tissue and organ functions within the human body. Dr. Fan has discovered the rightward chirality of endothelial cells and its connection to endothelial permeability, a crucial factor in progression of potential vascular diseases. His latest findings highlight the disruption of endothelial cell chirality triggered by tumor interactions, resulting in the leakage of the vascular barrier and an increased risk of metastasis. Dr. Fan’s works have been published in journals including Science Advances, PNAS, and APL Bioengineering, and featured by the AAAS, PNAS Plus, and the American Institute of Physics. The intriguing aspects of cell chirality inspire his research team to dedicate their efforts to investigating this field. The ultimate endeavor of his lab is to develop novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for human diseases by utilizing the chiral property of cells.