Rate My Professor Yu-Chieh David Chen

Yu-Chieh David Chen is an assistant professor in the Department of Biology within the College of Science and Technology at Temple University. He joined the faculty in August 2025. Chen earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from National Taiwan University and his PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Riverside. Before his appointment at Temple University, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at New York University, where his research was published in PNAS and STAR Protocols.

Chen’s research centers on developmental neurobiology. His group investigates how developing neurons acquire their identities and establish precise synaptic connections, using Drosophila sensory systems as a model. The lab combines neurogenetic approaches, single-cell transcriptomics, developmental imaging, and circuit analysis to uncover fundamental principles of brain wiring and sensory computation. In 2026, Chen received a $100,000 Blue Sky Initiative award from Temple University to advance tools for studying brain development.