Chinfei Chen, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
Professor of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital
Associate Director, Harvard Program in Neuroscience
Chinfei Chen, MD, PhD – Faculty Profile
Titles
Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
Professor of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital
Associate Director, Harvard Program in Neuroscience
The Aim
The Chen Lab investigates how experiences and brain state shape brain wiring and plasticity by studying how synapses and circuits develop and adapt over time.
The Impact
The Chen Lab investigates how our experiences and brain state shape the brain’s wiring, focusing on how synapses and circuits in key areas like the thalamus develop and adapt over time. By exploring how connections between brain cells are refined and change in response to neuromodulatory activity—both during early development and in adults—the lab’s research provides insight into how sensory and emotional information is processed. Their work aims to unravel the basic mechanisms of brain plasticity and could lead to new therapies for conditions such as autism, epilepsy, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
A Closer Look
Harvard Medical School – July 2018
Chinfei Chen studies how early sights and sounds help wire a baby’s brain. Her work shows how experience fine‑tunes the connections between the eyes and the brain, revealing molecules that help turn fuzzy early signals into clear, reliable vision.
Article: “Sensory Refinement – A key protein helps the brain remodel itself in response to sensory experiences”
Boston Children’s Hospital – April 2025
This article explains new research showing that the thalamus, a deep “relay hub” in the brain, can rewire its own connections and may be a powerful new target for treating neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.
Article: “The thalamus: A potential therapeutic target for neurodevelopmental disorders”
Contact & Lab Link
Email: chinfei.chen@childrens.harvard.edu
Lab website: https://www.chinfeichenlab.com/
Titles
Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
Professor of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital
Associate Director, Harvard Program in Neuroscience
The Aim
The Chen Lab investigates how experiences and brain state shape brain wiring and plasticity by studying how synapses and circuits develop and adapt over time.
The Impact
The Chen Lab investigates how our experiences and brain state shape the brain’s wiring, focusing on how synapses and circuits in key areas like the thalamus develop and adapt over time. By exploring how connections between brain cells are refined and change in response to neuromodulatory activity—both during early development and in adults—the lab’s research provides insight into how sensory and emotional information is processed. Their work aims to unravel the basic mechanisms of brain plasticity and could lead to new therapies for conditions such as autism, epilepsy, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
A Closer Look
Harvard Medical School – July 2018
Chinfei Chen studies how early sights and sounds help wire a baby’s brain. Her work shows how experience fine‑tunes the connections between the eyes and the brain, revealing molecules that help turn fuzzy early signals into clear, reliable vision.
Article: “Sensory Refinement – A key protein helps the brain remodel itself in response to sensory experiences”
Boston Children’s Hospital – April 2025
This article explains new research showing that the thalamus, a deep “relay hub” in the brain, can rewire its own connections and may be a powerful new target for treating neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.
Article: “The thalamus: A potential therapeutic target for neurodevelopmental disorders”
Contact & Lab Link
Email: chinfei.chen@childrens.harvard.edu
Lab website: https://www.chinfeichenlab.com/
Publications View
Organization, Function, and Development of the Mouse Retinogeniculate Synapse.
Cortical Feedback Regulates Feedforward Retinogeniculate Refinement.
Authors: Authors: Thompson AD, Picard N, Min L, Fagiolini M, Chen C.
Neuron
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Neuron
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Untangling the Web between Eye and Brain.
A Mouse Model of X-linked Intellectual Disability Associated with Impaired Removal of Histone Methylation.
Authors: Authors: Iwase S, Brookes E, Agarwal S, Badeaux AI, Ito H, Vallianatos CN, Tomassy GS, Kasza T, Lin G, Thompson A, Gu L, Kwan KY, Chen C, Sartor MA, Egan B, Xu J, Shi Y.
Cell Rep
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Cell Rep
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Restoration of Visual Function by Enhancing Conduction in Regenerated Axons.
Authors: Authors: Bei F, Lee HHC, Liu X, Gunner G, Jin H, Ma L, Wang C, Hou L, Hensch TK, Frank E, Sanes JR, Chen C, Fagiolini M, He Z.
Cell
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Cell
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Refinement of the retinogeniculate synapse by bouton clustering.
Authors: Authors: Hong YK, Park S, Litvina EY, Morales J, Sanes JR, Chen C.
Neuron
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Neuron
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Prolonged synaptic currents increase relay neuron firing at the developing retinogeniculate synapse.
Changes in input strength and number are driven by distinct mechanisms at the retinogeniculate synapse.
A role for stargazin in experience-dependent plasticity.
Authors: Authors: Louros SR, Hooks BM, Litvina L, Carvalho AL, Chen C.
Cell Rep
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Cell Rep
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Astrocytes mediate synapse elimination through MEGF10 and MERTK pathways.
Authors: Authors: Chung WS, Clarke LE, Wang GX, Stafford BK, Sher A, Chakraborty C, Joung J, Foo LC, Thompson A, Chen C, Smith SJ, Barres BA.
Nature
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Nature
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