Professor Chen is actively engaged in cutting-edge ophthalmic research, focusing prominently on the molecular and clinical genetics of major eye diseases. His research spans a wide spectrum including macular and retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, central serous chorioretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, and other inherited retinal dystrophies. He also investigates glaucoma, myopia, and the genetic profiling of myopia progression and ocular traits in children. Together with his team, Professor Chen has identified numerous new disease genes, loci, mutations, association profiles, and biomarkers that have significantly advanced understanding and treatment options for these conditions.
With an impressive academic record, Professor Chen has authored over 200 papers in SCI internationally indexed peer-reviewed journals, with a notable H-index of 54 as of November 2024. He has co-authored a number of articles in high-impact journals, including JAMA, Nature Medicine, Nature Genetics, Lancet Oncology, Lancet Global Health, Nature Communications, JAMA Network Open, and Ophthalmology.