Dr Chen joined Journal of Ovarian Research as an Associate Editor in 2024 and is now a Senior Editor on the board.
What first inspired you to pursue a career in ovarian research, and what has kept you engaged in the field?
As a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) specialist, I have cared for many young women with irregular menstruation, as well as infertile patients facing low success rates with ART due to an aging ovary and diminished ovarian reserve. Witnessing their struggles firsthand sparked my interest in ovarian physiology and the mechanisms underlying related endocrinopathies. Finding ways to help these patients and address the root causes of their difficulties has been the driving motivation behind my continued engagement in ovarian research.
Looking back on your career so far, what achievement are you most proud of, and why?
Much of my clinical and research practice has been based in East Asia, where I noticed considerable variation in the phenotypes of women diagnosed with PCOS (now also referred to as PMOS) compared with what has traditionally been described in Western populations. This observation led me to conduct a series of studies examining the role of androgens in the disturbed metabolism and ovarian dysfunction seen in women with PCOS/PMOS, as well as demonstrating the efficacy of metformin as a treatment. Because Asian women, particularly East Asian women, differ meaningfully from Western populations in the phenotypic presentation of hyperandrogenism and in the thresholds used to define metabolic disturbance, I focused much of my research on this distinction. I'm proud to have been among the first to characterize and highlight these associations specifically within Asian populations.
What do you consider to be the most exciting development in ovarian research today?
I would point to the recent advancement of research tools that have allowed us to understand, more than ever before, the roles that the brain, neuroendocrine signaling, and the microbiota play in ovarian function.
How has the field changed since you began your career, and what change has surprised you the most?
When I began my career, ovarian research was largely centered on the physiology of the ovary in isolation. Since then, the field has expanded to embrace a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on neuroscience, endocrinology, metabolism, and microbiome research to investigate ovarian biology and function more holistically. What has surprised me most is the broader shift in perspective — the ovary is no longer viewed solely through the lens of reproduction, but is increasingly recognized as central to human health as a whole.
What is one research question in ovarian biology that you hope will be answered during your lifetime?
I'm most drawn to the application side of this question. I hope that one day we will find a solution for ovarian rejuvenation, and gain a clearer understanding of how other aspects of human health influence ovarian biology — and, in turn, how ovarian biology influences them.
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