James Shen, MD, PhD

I am an aspiring physician-scientist at the UMass Chan MD/PhD (MSTP) program. Prior to matriculation into this program, I graduated from Brandeis University Summa Cum Laude with Highest Honors in Biology, earning a B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Chemistry with specialization in Chemical Biology. As a MD/PhD candidate at UMass MSTP, I studied the role of autophagy, the process in which cells consume internal components for purposes including nutrient recycling and waste removal, in the lab of Eric H. Baehrecke. My research involves investigating the role of a Vps13D, a protein implicated in neurological disease, inflammation, and cancer. Of note, our studies resulted in a patent for a new approach to treating patients suffering from Vps13D-associated movement disorders, of which no current therapy exists. Outside of Vps13D, I am also investigating the role of Atg6/Beclin-1, a key regulator of autophagy, in the development of metastatic blood cell masses in Drosophila.

My goal after graduation is to become a Radiation Oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancers through the use of radiotherapy. I work closely with the Radiation Oncology department at UMass, and have contributed to numerous literature on the treatment of cancer using radiation therapy. Using the basic science skills I have nurtured in my PhD training and the clinical knowledge I developed as a medical student, I plan to become a physician scientist who both treats patients in the clinic and develops new treatment approaches through research.

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