Steven K. Chen

Steven K. Chen

PhD Student
Department of Cell and Systems Biology
University of Toronto
25 Harbord St., Toronto, ON M5S 3G5

Email: stevenk.chen@mail.utoronto.ca
Twitter: @steve_kuanyu

Current Research

My current projects aim to identify core principles of protein evolution and to determine how these principles shape the evolution of signalling networks in cells. To enhance our understanding on these topics, I am actively developing and applying high-throughput technologies to elucidate the effects of higher-order interactions and their contributions to the evolutionary process. I then translate technologies developed and insights learned from our studies to engineer biological systems for diverse applications

Education

Ph.D. Candidate (2018-Present) — University of Toronto, Cell & Systems Biology

H.B.Sc. (2018) — University of Toronto, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology & Immunology

Academic Awards

  • David F. Mettrick Fellowship, 2021
  • Endowed Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2021-2022
  • Young Investigator Award – Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2020
  • Vision Science Research Program Award, 2019-Present
  • University of Toronto Fellowship, 2018-Present
  • Zoology Sesquicentennial Graduate Award, 2018
  • Cell and Systems Biology Undergraduate Research Day – F. Michael Barrett Award for Best Poster, 2018
  • Undergraduate Research Fund – University of Toronto Arts & Science, 2018

Publications (Co-first*)

  • Chen, S.K.*, Liu, J.*, Van Nynatten, A., Tudor-Price, B.M., & Chang, B.S.W. (2024). Sampling Strategies for Experimentally Mapping Molecular Fitness Landscapes Using High-Throughput Methods. Journal of Molecular Evolution. 92(4), pp. 402-414. doi: 10.1007/s00239-024-10179-8.
  • Scott B.M.*, Chen S.K.*, Van Nynatten A., Liu J., Scott R.K., Heon E., Peisajovich S., Chang B.S.W. 2024. Scaling up functional analyses of the G protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin. Journal of Molecular Evolution, 92(1), pp. 61–71. doi: 10.1007/s00239-024-10154-3.
  • Van Nynatten, A., Duncan, A.T., Lauzon, R., Sheldon, T.A., Chen, S.K., Lovejoy, N.R., Mandrak, N.E., & Chang, B.S.W. (2024). Adaptive evolution of Nearctic deepwater fish vision: Implications for assessing functional variation for conservation. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 41(2):msae024. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msae024.
  • Scott, B.M.*, Gutiérrez-Vázquez, C.*, Sanmarco, L.M., de Silva Pereira, J.A., Li, Z., Plasencia, A., Hewson, P., Cox, L.M., O’Brien, M., Chen, S.K., Moraes-Vieira, P.M., Chang, B.S.W., Peisajovich S.G., & Quintana, F.J. 2021. Self-tunable engineered yeast probiotics for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Nature Medicine. 27(7): pp. 1212–1222. doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01390-x.
  • Scott B.M., Chen S.K., Bhattacharyya N., Heon, E., Moalim A.Y., Plotnikov S.V., Peisajovich S.G., Chang B.S.W. 2019. Coupling of Human Rhodopsin to a Yeast Signaling Pathway Enables High-Throughput Characterization of Mutations Associated with Retinal Disease. Genetics, 211(2), pp. 597–615. doi: 10.1534/genetics.118.301733.

Selected Contributed Presentations

  • Chen S.K., Scott B.M., Van Nynatten A., Scott R.K., Peisajovich S., Heon E., Chang B.S.W. 2021. Mutational constraints on a transmembrane protein revealed by deep scanning mutagenesis. Symposium for Molecular Biology & Evolution. Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution, Virtual Conference (Oral presentation)
  • Chen S.K., Scott B.M., Van Nynatten A., Scott R.K., Peisajovich S., Heon E., Chang B.S.W. 2021. Functional constraints on a transmembrane protein revealed by deep scanning mutagenesis. Virtual Evolution 2021, Virtual Conference (Oral presentation)
  • Chen S.K., Jing L., Chang B.S.W. 2021. Multi-dimensional mutational scans of G protein-coupled receptors. Vision Sciences 63rd Annual Research Day. University Health Network & University of Toronto Department of Vision Science, Virtual Conference (Oral presentation)
  • Chen S.K., Jing L., Chang B.S.W. 2021. Investigating the molecular evolution of transmembrane proteins using high-throughput genetic approaches, International T3 Molecular Evolution Symposium (TelAviv, Toronto, Temple). Virtual Conference (Oral Presentation)
  • Chen S.K., Scott B.M., Van Nynatten A., Scott R.K., Peisajovich S., Heon E., Chang B.S.W. 2020. A Deep mutational scanning approach to studying GPCR genetic variation and sequence-function relationships, European Molecular Biology Laboratory Conference: Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution & Ecology. Virtual Conference (Poster)
  • Chen S.K., Scott B.M., Van Nynatten A., Schott R.K., Peisajovich S., Heon E., Chang B.S.W. 2020. A high-throughput system in yeast for studying the relationship between GPCR genetic variation & function. Vision Science 62nd Annual Research Day, University Health Network & University of Toronto Department of Vision Science. Virtual Conference (Oral Presentation)
  • Chen S.K., Scott B.M., Van Nynatten A., Schott R.K., Peisajovich S., Heon E., Chang B.S.W. 2020. A high-throughput system for studying the relationship between GPCR genetic variation & function. Symposium for Molecular Biology & Evolution, Québec City, QC (Poster – Cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic)
  • Chen S.K., Scott B.M., Bhattacharyya N. Peisajovich S., Chang B.S.W. 2019.
    High-throughput Investigation of Rhodopsin Function using Yeast. Biophysical
    Society of Canada Annual Meeting, University of Toronto Mississauga,
    Mississauga ON. (Oral Presentation & Poster)
  • Chen S.K., Scott B.M., Peisajovich S., Chang B.S.W. 2018. Engineering a Yeast Platform for Characterizing Rhodopsin Variants of Uncertain Significance. International Conference for Retinal Proteins, Hockley Valley Resort, Mono ON. (Poster)
  • Chen S.K., Scott B.M., Chang B.S.W. 2018. High-Throughput Characterisation of Rhodopsin of Rhodopsin: A Functional Assessment. Cell Systems Biology Undergraduate Research Day, University of Toronto, Toronto ON. (Poster)