On May 20, 2025, the Royal Society, the United Kingdom's most prestigious scientific institution, announced its newest cohort of Fellows, naming Dr. Zhijian Chen, a distinguished alumnus of Fujian Normal University (FNU), as one of its Foreign Fellows. This recognition places Dr. Chen among the most elite scientific minds globally, marking yet another milestone in his illustrious career.
Dr. Zhijian Chen is a member of both the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. He serves as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and holds the title of Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science at UT Southwestern Medical Center. The Royal Society’s citation for Dr. Chen describes him as a trailblazing biochemist whose groundbreaking discoveries have revolutionized the scientific understanding of cellular signaling and innate immunity mechanisms.
Groundbreaking Contributions to Science
Dr. Chen’s pioneering work includes several landmark discoveries:
Polyubiquitin Chains and NF-κB Pathway: He was the first to demonstrate that polyubiquitin chains can activate protein kinases in the NF-κB pathway through non-proteasomal mechanisms.
MAVS and RNA Virus Defense: He identified the pivotal role of mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS) in RNA virus defense systems.
Discovery of cGAS and cGAMP: In 2012, Dr. Chen discovered the DNA sensor enzyme cGAS and its product cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP), revealing cGAMP’s critical function as a second messenger in activating innate immune responses.
These discoveries have profoundly advanced the fields of immunology and disease research, providing crucial theoretical foundations and innovative directions for developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against infectious diseases, malignant tumors, and autoimmune disorders.
Prestigious Awards and Honors
In recognition of his extraordinary scientific contributions, Dr. Zhijian Chen has received numerous prestigious awards, including:
2012 NAS Award in Molecular Biology (National Academy of Sciences, USA)
2015 ASBMB-Merck Award (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
2018 The Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences (Foundation for the National Institutes of Health)
2019 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
2020 Bei Shizhang International Award (Biophysical Society of China)
2020 William B. Coley Award (Top honor in tumor immunology)
2023 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize (Columbia University, USA)
2024 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award
2024 Qiu Shi Outstanding Scientist Award (Hong Kong Qiu Shi Foundation)
2025 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize (Germany’s highest honor in medical research)
The Royal Society: A Legacy of Scientific Excellence
Founded in 1660, the Royal Society is the world’s oldest continuously operating scientific institution and a cornerstone of global scientific advancement. Over its more than three centuries of history, the Society has been graced by luminaries such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, James Clerk Maxwell, and Albert Einstein, and has included over 280 Nobel laureates among its past and present members. Today, the Society’s Fellowship comprises more than 1,600 preeminent researchers, forming an elite intellectual community dedicated to scientific discovery and technological innovation.
Through its rigorous annual election process, the Royal Society continues to honor exceptional individuals who have made lifelong contributions to science. Dr. Zhijian Chen’s election as a Foreign Fellow reflects his transformative impact on biomedical research and his enduring legacy in the scientific community.
