1999年毕业于清华大学生物科学与技术系，获得生物学学士学位。2005年1月获清华大学生物物理学博士学位;2005年—2012年在美国密西根大学医学院生物化学系从事博士后研究。2012年起任中科院上海生科院生化与细胞所研究员，研究组长，博士生导师。

　　真核生物染色体不仅是遗传信息的载体，也是一系列重要生物学过程的发生地点。染色体的构象改变，和基因表达，转录，损伤修复，重组等息息相关。多年来的研究表明组蛋白化学修饰、DNA甲基化、依赖ATP的染色体重塑、组蛋白变体以及非编码RNA等表观遗传因子在染色质高级结构的建立和维持中起着重要的调控作用。它们是如何在染色体的结构调节和基因转录调控中协同发挥作用的，是目前生物学研究的热点。而且若干表观遗传因子的突变或缺失和很多疾病的发生有密切联系，成为了潜在的药物设计靶标。

　　本实验室的主要研究方向将集中在重要表观遗传因子的结构生物学研究上。我们将对一些关键的表观遗传因子复合物利用结构生物学和生物化学的手段进行深入的研究，以揭示其活性机制，调节其机理和设计针对其特定结构靶点的药物小分子。具体研究内容包括: 揭示组蛋白修饰酶的组装和调控机制;阐明依赖ATP的染色体重塑复合物的分子作用机制;阐析端粒染色体组装的分子机制。

1. Duo Wang#, Fuxiang Yan#, Ping Wu#, Kexue Ge, Muchun Li, Tingting Li, Ying Gao, Chao Peng*, Yong Chen* (2022) Global profiling of regulatory elements in the histone benzoylation pathway, Nature Communication, 13：1369
2. Yongxin Zheng, Yinping Huang, Jun Mencius, Yanjing Li, Lijie Zhao, Wanting Luo, Yong Chen*, Shu Quan* (2021) Distinct kinetic mechanisms of H3K4 methylation catalyzed by MLL3 and MLL4 core complexes,  J. Biol. Chem. 100635
3. Alessandro Cicconi, Rekha Rai, Xuexue Xiong, Cayla Broton, Amer Al-Hiyasat, Chunyi Hu, Siying Dong, Wenqi Sun, Jennifer Garbarino, Ranjit S. Bindra, Carl Schildkraut, Yong Chen*, Sandy Chang* (2020) Microcephalin 1/BRIT1-TRF2 interaction promotes telomere replication and repair, linking telomere dysfunction to primary microcephaly, Nature Communication, 11：5861
4. Guochao Chen#, Duo Wang#, Bin Wu#, Fuxiang Yan, Hongjuan Xue, Shu Quan, Yong Chen (2020) Taf14 recognizes a common motif in transcriptional machineries and facilitates their clustering by phase separation, Nature Communication, 11:4206
5. Yanjing Li, Lijie Zhao, Xiaoxu Tian, Chao Peng, Fan Gong, Yong Chen (2020) Crystal structure of MLL2 complex guides the identification of a methylation site on P53 catalyzed by KMT2-family methyltransferases, Structure, 28(10):1141-1148
6. Guochao Chen#, Wei Li#, Fuxiang Yan, Duo Wang, Yong Chen (2020) The structural basis for specific recognition of H3K14 acetylation by Sth1 in the RSC chromatin remodeling complex, Structure, 28(1):111-118
7.  Jianming Han, Tingting Li, Yanjing Li, Muchun Li, Xiaoman Wang, Chao Peng, Chen Su, Na Li, Yiwei Li, Ying Xu, Yong Chen (2019) The internal interaction in RBBP5 regulates assembly and activity of MLL1 methyltransferase complex, Nucleic Acids Research, 47(19):10426-10438
8. Chunyi Hu#, Haruna Inoue#, Wenqi Sun#, Yumiko Takeshita, Yaoguang Huang, Ying Xu, Junko Kanoh* and Yong Chen* (2019) Structural insights into chromosome attachment to the nuclear envelope by an inner nuclear membrane protein Bqt4 in fission yeast, Nucleic Acids Research, 47(3): 1573-1584 (*co-corresponding author)
9. Chunyi Hu#, Haruna Inoue#, Wenqi Sun#, Yumiko Takeshita, Yaoguang Huang, Ying Xu, Junko Kanoh* and Yong Chen* (2019) The inner nuclear membrane protein Bqt4 in fission yeast contains a DNA-binding domain essential for telomere association with the nuclear envelope, Structure, 27(2):335-343 (*co-corresponding author)
10. Yong Chen (2019) The structural biology of the shelterin complex, Biol. Chem. 400(4):457-466 (Review)
11. Qing Li#, Yanjing Li#, Suming Yang, Shuo Huang, Meng Yan, Yifu Ding, Wei Tang, Xiwen Lou, Qi Yin, Zhanfei Sun, Lei Lu, Huijuan Shi, Hongyan Wang, Yong Chen* and Jinsong Li* (2018) CRISPR-CAS9-mediated base editing screening in mice identifies DND1 amino acids that are critical for primordial germ cell development, Nature Cell Biol. 20(11): 1315-1325 (*co-corresponding author)
12. Chunyi Hu #, Rekha Rai #, Chenhui Huang, Cayla Broton, Juanjuan Long, Ying Xu, Jing Xue, Ming Lei* , Sandy Chang* and Yong Chen* (2017)Structural and functional analysis of the mammalian TIN2-TPP1-TRF2 telomeric complex, Cell Research, 27(12):1485-1502 (*co-corresponding author)
13. Jing Xue #, Hongwen Chen #, Jian Wu, Miho Takeuchi, Haruna Inoue, Yong Chen*, Junko Kanoh*, Ming Lei* (2017) Structure of the fission yeast S. pombe telomeric Poz1-Tpz1-Rap1 complex, Cell Research 27(12):1503-1520 (*co-corresponding author)
14. Xiaoman Wang, Yiyue Zhao, Jian Zhang, and Yong Chen (2017) Structural basis for DAXX interaction with ATRX, Protein & Cell, 8(10):767-771
15. Yanjing Li, Jianming Han, Yuebin Zhang, Fang Cao, Zhijun Liu, Shuai Li, Jian Wu, Chunyi Hu, Yan Wang, Jin Shuai, Juan Chen, Liaoran Cao, Dangsheng Li, Pan Shi, Changlin Tian, Jian Zhang, Yali Dou, Guohui Li*, Yong Chen*, and Ming Lei*(2016) Structural basis for activity regulation of MLL family methyltransferases，Nature, 530，447-452 (*co-corresponding author)
16. Yong Chen, Fang Cao, Bingbing, Yali Dou, Ming Lei (2012)Structure of the SPRY domain of Ash2L and its interactions with RbBP5 and DPY30, Cell Res., 22, 598-602
17. Yong Chen#, Bingbing Wan#, Kevin C. Wang, Fang Cao, Yuting Yang, Angeline Protacio, Yali Dou, Howard Y. Chang, Ming Lei (2011) Crystal structure of the N-terminal region of human Ash2L shows a winged-helix motif involved in DNA binding, EMBO Rep. 12(8),797-803
18. Yong Chen#, Rekha Rai# , Zi-Ren Zhou , Junko Kanoh , Cyril Ribeyre , Yuting Yang , Hong Zheng , Pascal Damay , Feng Wang , Hisayo Tsujii , David Shore , Hong-Yu Hu , Sandy Chang A, Ming Lei (2011) A Conserved Motif within RAP1 Plays Diversified Roles in Telomere Protection and Regulation in Different Organisms, Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol., 18(2): 213-221
19. Yong Chen, Yuting Yang, Megan van Overbeek, Jill R. Donigian, Paul Baciu, Titia de Lange, Ming Lei (2008) A Shared Docking Motif in TRF1 and TRF2 Used for Differential Recruitment of Telomeric Proteins. Science, 319: 1092-1096
20. Yong Chen, Yuting Yang, Feng Wang, Ke Wan, Kenichi Yamane, Yi Zhang, Ming Lei (2006) Crystal structure of human histone lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) . Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A. 103:13956-13961