Asst Prof Chen Kaiwen
PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Tel: 6601 3848
Email: kaiwen.chen@nus.edu.sg

Biography

Dr Chen obtained his PhD from the University of Queensland Australia, where he investigated inflammasome signalling in neutrophils in the laboratory of Prof. Kate Schroder. Subsequently, with the support of a Marie Curie Fellowship and a Swiss Government Excellence Fellowship, he completed his postdoctoral training with Professor Petr Broz at the University of Lausanne , Switzerland, studying the regulation of gasdermin proteins during infection and cell death. Dr. Kaiwen Chen joined the Department of Microbiology and Immunology as an Assistant Professor in late 2020.

What are your present research interests?

The Chen lab focuses on the molecular regulation of innate immunity and programmed cell death, including pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis. We aim to uncover how these cell death pathways are activated during infection and inflammation, and how they contribute to host defence. A key area of interest is understanding how microbial pathogens subvert or manipulate these processes to evade immune responses and promote their survival. By dissecting these host–pathogen interactions at the molecular level, we seek to reveal fundamental mechanisms of immune regulation and identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention in infectious and inflammatory diseases.

Does your laboratory have a particularly strong research expertise?

Innate immunity, myeloid cell biology, programmed cell death and host-pathogen interactions.

Recent Publications

1. A bacterial network of T3SS effectors counteracts host pro-inflammatory responses and cell death to promote infection. Yeap HW, Goh RY, Rosli SN, Pung HS, Giogha C, Eng VV, Pearson JS, Hartland EL, Chen KW#. EMBOJ, 2025, 2025, 1-22.
2. TBK1 and IKKε prevent premature cell death by limiting the activity of both RIPK1 and NLRP3 death pathways. Fischer FA, Demarco B, Min FCH, Yeap HW, De Nardo D, Chen KW, Bezbradica JS. Sci Adv, 2025 Mar 7;11(10).
3. Plasticity of cell death pathways ensures GSDMD activation during Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection. Chan FHM, Yeap HW, Liu Z, Rosli SN, Low KE, Bonne I, Wu Y, Chong SZ and Chen KW#. Cell Rep, 2025, Jan 28;44(1):115216.
4. Gasdermins as evolutionarily conserved executors of inflammation and cell death. Chen KW#and Broz P#. Nat Cell Biol, 2024 Sep;26(9):1394-1406.
5. Differential signalling requirements for RIPK1-dependent pyroptosis in neutrophils and macrophages. Yow SJ, Rosli SN, Hutchinson PE, Chen KW#. Cell Death Dis, 2024, 15:479.
6. RIPK1 activates distinct gasdermins in macrophages and neutrophils upon pathogen blockade of innate immune signalling. Chen KW#,*, Demarco B*, Ramos S, Heilig R, Goris M, Grayczyk JP, Assenmacher CA, Radaelli E, Joannas LD, Henao-Mejia J, Tacchini-Cottier F, Brodsky IE, Broz P#. PNAS, 2021, 118(28).
7. Caspase-8-dependent gasdermin D cleavage promotes anti-microbial defence but confers susceptibility to TNF-induced lethality. Demarco B, Grayczyk JP, Bjanes E, Le Roy D, Tonnus W, Assenmacher C-A, Radaelli E, Fettrelet T, Mack V, Linkermann A, Roger T, Brodsky IE, Chen KW#, Broz P#. Sci Adv, 2020, 6.
8. Extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis activate Pannexin-1 to drive NLRP3 inflammasome assembly. Chen KW*, Demarco B*, Heilig R, Shkarina K, Boettcher A, Farady CJ, Pelczar P, and Broz P. EMBOJ, 2019, e101638.
9. Noncanonical inflammasome signaling elicits gasdermin D–dependent neutrophil extracellular traps. Chen KW*, Monteleone M*, Boucher D*, Sollberger G, Ramnath D, Condon ND, von Pein JP, Broz P, Sweet MJ, Schroder K. Sci. Immunol, 2018, 3, eaar6676.
10. The neutrophil NLRC4 inflammasome selectively promotes IL-1beta maturation without pyroptosis during acute Salmonella challenge. Chen KW, Gross CJ, Sotomayor FV, Stacey KJ, Tschopp J, Sweet MJ, Schroder K. Cell Rep, 2014, 8: 570-82. F1000 prime nominated article.