Muhao Chen

About

The Language Understanding and Knowledge Acquisition (LUKA) Lab is directed by Dr. Muhao Chen. Our research focuses on robust and accountable machine learning methods for natural language processing and multi-modal data processing. Most recently, we have been focusing on robustness and safety problems with large (multi-modal) language models and foundation model agents. Our long-term goal is to develop robust, generalizable and trustworthy learning systems that help machines understand nature.

Research topics

• Biology
• Genetics
• Computational biology
• Cell biology
• Cancer research

Selected publications

• Therapeutic Opportunities in Overcoming Premature Termination Codons in Epidermolysis Bullosa via Translational Readthrough

  Cells · 2025-08-07 · 1 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) comprises a group of inherited blistering disorders caused by pathogenic variants in genes essential for skin and mucosal integrity. Nonsense mutations, which generate premature termination codons (PTCs), result in reduced or absent protein expression and contribute to severe disease phenotypes in EB. Readthrough therapies, which may continue translation past PTCs to restore full-length functional proteins, have emerged as promising approaches. This review summarizes f…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Novel eRF3a degrader enhances gentamicin-induced premature termination codon readthrough in epidermolysis bullosa

  Molecular Therapy — Nucleic Acids · 2025-10-15 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  models of diseases caused by nonsense mutations. This study evaluated CC-90009's ability, in combination with gentamicin, to suppress PTCs and promote the expression of type VII collagen (C7) in primary RDEB keratinocytes and fibroblasts, as well as laminin 332 in primary JEB keratinocytes with nonsense mutations. While CC-90009 alone demonstrated limited efficacy, its combination with low-dose gentamicin led to a dose-dependent increase in C7 and laminin β3 production, surpassing the effects of…

  PublisherDOI

• LB1248 Improving the therapeutic potential of intravenous recombinant collagen VII as a protein replacement therapy for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa

  Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2025-07-21

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Research Progress on the Interaction between PCOS and Gut Microbiota Based on the Theory of “Spleen Deficiency and Phlegm-Dampness”

  Journal of Contemporary Medical Practice · 2025-10-30

  articleSenior author

  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological disorder characterized by endocrine and metabolic disturbances, highly prevalent among women of reproductive age. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), “deficiency of the spleen with phlegm-dampness” is considered one of its core pathological mechanisms. In recent years, the role of gut microbiota as a “bridge” connecting human metabolism and endocrinology has become increasingly prominent in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Based on this, thi…

  PublisherDOI

• Targeting Hsp90 in Cancer for 25 Years: Failure of Previous Clinical Trials and New Hope for Future Therapeutics

  Cells · 2025-12-15

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  All previous IND (investigational new drug) applications to US FDA for launching clinical trials with Hsp90 ATP-binding inhibitors only provided a partial, if not misleading, account of the inhibitors' actual MOA (mechanism of action). Since 2004, studies have repeatedly shown a previously unanticipated "extra effect" of these inhibitors, but it has been incomprehensively ignored by the Hsp90 community. Membrane-impermeable, otherwise structurally identical, ATP-binding Hsp90 inhibitors show rob…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R01AR033625

  NIH · $6.9M · 2015

• NIH Grant RC4AR060535

  NIH · $3.1M · 2013

• NIH Grant R01AR047981

  NIH · $2.9M · 2012

Frequent coauthors

• David T. Woodley

  USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

  140 shared

• Edel A. O’Toole

  Queen Mary University of London

  123 shared

• John A. McGrath

  King's College London

  112 shared

• Dédée F. Murrell

  UNSW Sydney

  99 shared

• Andrew P. South

  Thomas Jefferson University

  70 shared

• J. Kelly

  64 shared

• C O'farrely

  St. James's Hospital

  64 shared

• Emiko Mizoguchi

  Brown University

  64 shared

Education

• PhD, Cell Biology, Virology and Molecular Biology

  Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Awards & honors

• NSF Proto-OKN
• Amazon Research Award on Generative AI
• NSF CRII Award
• Cisco Faculty Award

Similar researchers at University of Southern California

• Ramesh Govindanh-101
• Jonathan Gratchh-82
• Ewa Deelmanh-73