Wei-Jen Chen, Ph.D.
Professor at National Taiwan University (NTU)
Principal Investigator of the Marine Biodiversity and Phylogenomics Lab
Fish and marine invertebrate curator of the NTU Museum of Zoology
Associate editor for Frontiers in Marine Science (Section: Marine Evolutionary Biology, Biogeography and Species Diversity), Genes & Journal of Fisheries and Environment
Member of the International Steering Committee of the Indo-Pacific Fish Conference Series (Dec. 2018 ~ present)
Board member (since Feb. 2014) of the Asian Society of Ichthyologists
Email: wjchen.actinops[at]gmail[dot]com; wjchen1971[dot]g[at]ntu[dot]edu[dot]tw
Mailing address:
Room 301, Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University
No.1 Sec. 4 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Phone: 886 (0)2-3366-1630; 886 (0)2-2363-6040 ext.301 Fax: 886 (0)2-2363-7062
Last and representative research: Diversity, phylogeny, and historical biogeography of large-eye seabreams (Teleostei: Lethrinidae)
CAREER RECORD & QUALIFICATION
Aug 2017 - Present
Full Professor at Institute of Oceanography and Department of Life Science (joint appointment), National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
Aug 2015 - July 2017
Associate Professor (joint appointment) at Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
Dec 2017 - Feb 2018
Visiting Associate Professor at the Kyoto University Museum, Japan
Aug 2013 - July 2017
Associate Professor at Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
Aug 2009 - July 2013
Assistant Professor at Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
Feb 2006 - June 2009
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Saint Louis University, USA (with Prof. Richard Mayden).
Oct 2003 - Dec 2005
Contractor-Researcher at INRA, Bordeaux, France (with Dr. Marie-France Corio-Costet).
Nov 2002 - May 2003
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Konstanz, Germany (with Prof. Axel Meyer).
Feb 2001 - Oct 2002
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Nebraska, USA (with Dr. Guillermo Ortí).
Feb 2002 & Feb 2006
Qualified as “maîtres de conférences” (assistant professor) in section 68 “Biologie des organismes” in France.
EDUCATION
2001. Ph.D. Biological Sciences- Biodiversity: Genetics, History and Mechanisms of Evolution at University of Paris 6 (merged into the Sorbonne University since 2018), France.
1997. DEA (equivalent to master degree in USA system):Biodiversity: Genetics, History and Mechanisms of Evolution at University of Paris 6 (Université Pierre et Marie Curie), France.
1993. Bachelor of Science at Department of Zoology, Fishery Division, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My work and general research interests concern the application of molecular and computational tools within a phylogenetic framework to interpret organismal diversity (in fish particularly) and to understand mechanisms of evolution. Currently, I'm emphasizing on marine phylogenomics (see Chen and Mayden 2010; Chen, Samadi, and Chen 2018; Parey et al. 2023), exploration of marine biodiversity (see Lee et al. 2019; Chen et al. 2016, 2017), biogeography (especially, in studying the origin of the Coral Triangle’s extreme concentration of marine biodiversity in relation to geological, climate and evolutionary events, See Chen and Borsa 2020; Lim et al. 2021), evolution of deep-sea metazoans (see Lee et al. 2019), and marine conservation (see: e.g., Kong et al. 2023; Samadi et al. 2015).
PUBLICATION
For a complete list of publications see this page or my Google scholar page
Biodiversity exploration from the Indo-West Pacific: shallow water/coral reef associated fauna & deep-sea fauna
Mitochondrial genomics of mollusks, ray-finned fishes and birds
High-level phylogeny of ray-finned fishes, e.g., Elopomorpha, Clupeocephala, Acanthomorpha, Percomorpha, and others
Systematics of the Teleostei with focus on Flatfishes; Lethrinidae; Pomacentridae; Deepwater cardinalfishes and clingfishes; Ophiididae; Lutjanidae; Mugilidae; Nemipteridae; Sciaenidae; sardines & anchovies; Gerreidae; Antarctic notothenioids
Bird research
Mechanisms of evolution of fungicide resistance in populations of grapevine downy mildew
FUNDING
CURRENT
Personal research funding from Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (2021– 2024) (MOST 110-2611-M-002-013 -; 111-2611-M-002-025 -; 112-2611-M-002-025 -) (5,228,000 NTD). Project title: Biodiversity exploration in the deep sea (third phase): new horizon and beyond
PAST
Personal research funding from Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (2019 – 2021) (MOST 108-2611-M-002 -012 -MY2) (4,022,000 NTD). Project title: Biodiversity exploration in the deep sea (second phase): Usage of emerging technologies and integrated approach to meet new challenges
Personal research funding from Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (2018 – 2019) (MoST 07-2611-M-002-007-) (1,686,000 NTD). Project title: Biodiversity exploration in the deep sea
Personal research funding from Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (2015 – 2018) (MoST 104-2611-M-002-002-MY3) (6,459,000 NTD). Project title: Significance of the Indo-West Pacific barrier(s) to marine species distribution and evolution: emperor breams (Perciformes: Lethrinidae) as a case study
Bilateral cooperation research funding from National Science Council, Taiwan (2013 – 2016) (NSC 102-2923-B-002 -001 -MY3) (9,166,000 NTD) and ANR, France. Project title: Taiwan France marine diversity exploration and evolution of deep-sea fauna (TFDeepEvo)
Personal research funding from MOST, Taiwan (2012 – 2015) (NSC 101-2611-M-002 -016 -MY3) (5,966,000 NTD). Project title: Evolution and marine biogeography of fish of Taiwan and South China Sea islands in an Indo-West Pacific context
Subcontract of the cooperation research funding from National Science Foundation, USA (2013 – 2014) (30,800 USD). Project title: Collaborative PBI: All Cypriniformes Species: Phase II of an Inventory of the Otophysi
Personal research funding from MOST, Taiwan (2010-2012) (NSC 99-2611-M-002-001-MY2) (4,855,000 NTD). Project title: Marine phylogenomics: a case study for ray-finned fishes
FIELD EXPERIENCE AT SEA under
Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos program (MNHN, IRD) and the TFDeepEvo (ANR-MOST funded)
Expedition database see this page
Aug. 2022 East and South-West of Taiwan (Campaign: Abyssal 2022), with R/V NOR1, Taiwan
April 2022 Northern South China Sea (Campaign: Formosa 2022), with R/V NOR1, Taiwan
Aug. & Sept. 2021 Offshore Taiwan and Guagua Ridge (Campaign: Abyssal 2021), with R/V New OR1, Taiwan
Jan. 2021 Maiden voyage of the New Ocean researcher 1 (Campaign: NOR1), with R/V New OR1, Taiwan
Sept. 2019 New Caledonia in Central Pacific Ocean (Campaign: KANADEEP 2), with R/V Atalante, France
July & Aug. 2019 E of Taiwan/Luzon Strait Expedition 2019 (Campaign: Sakizaya 2019), with R/V OR1, Taiwan
June 2018 NE of Taiwan Expedition 2018 (Campaign: Kavalan 2018), with R/V OR1, Taiwan
July 2015 ZhongSha/DongSha Exploration 2015 (Campaign: ZhongSha 2015), with R/V OR1, Taiwan
May 2014 DongSha Exploration 2014 (Campaign: DongSha 2014), with R/V OR1, Taiwan
Jan. 2014 Nan-Hai Marine Biodiversity Exploration 2014 (Campaign: NanHai 2014), with R/V OR5, Taiwan
May 2013 South and SE of Taiwan in West Pacific Ocean (Campaign: TAIWAN 2013), with R/V OR1 & 3, Taiwan
Nov. 2012 Biodiversity expedition in Madang, Papua New-Guinea (Program: Our Planet Reviewed)
Sept. 2011 New Caledonia in Central Pacific Ocean (Campaign: EXBODI), with R/V ALIS, IRD (see news)
NTU-IRD jointed project on the phylogeography and systematics of emperors and large-eye seabreams and other coral reef fishes
April 2019 Scattered Islands (îles d'éparses) in W. Indian Ocean (Campaign: DHEEP), with R/V Marion Dufresne (link; PDF)
April 2011 Scattered Islands (îles d'éparses) in W. Indian Ocean, with R/V Marion Dufresne (see media news)
PAST RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS (before 2009)
During my doctorate study (at Laboratoire d’Ichtyologie générale et appliquée and Service commun de systématique moléculaire, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) à Paris under the supervision of Dr. Guillaume Lecointre), my research was focused on a systematics project of acanthomorph fishes, the most diverse group of vertebrates. My work was the first attempt to summarize multi-locus data for an extensive taxonomic sampling of acanthomorphs (Chen et al. 2003). I also worked on small-scale phylogeny of higher notothenioids (Antarctic acanthomorphs, composed of the families Harpagiferidae, Artedidraconidae, Bathydraconidae, and Channichthyidae) based on two mitochondrial genes (Chen et al. 1998; Derome et al. 2002). The comparison with phylogeography and ecology of included channichthyid taxa allowed proposing putative speciation models and correlations with paleo-events of Antarctic Ocean (Chen et al. 1998).
I embarked on my first postdoctoral training at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to further horn my skills on molecular techniques and molecular systematics of fishes (López et al. 2004). Later, I had a short stint as a postdoctoral fellow at University of Konstanz in Germany where I worked on projects of EVODEVO (evolutionary development) in cichlids and phylogenomic analysis of fish model systems (Chen et al. 2004). Besides, a collaboration work (with Dr. Jing Luo) on molecular systematics and biogeography of Oriental Voles (Genus Eothenomys, Muridae, Mammalia) was accomplished (Luo et al. 2004).
I also expand my extensive experience in Molecular Systematics studies to the investigations of micro-evolution and Molecular Ecology using grapevine downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) as model system (Chen et al. 2007; and others). This research activity was conducted at French National Institute for Agronomic research (INRA, Bordeaux).
Prior to my current position, I have been working on the US NSF funded AToL study on the Cypriniformes Tree of Life (CToL) at St. Louis University (Chen et al. 2008; Chen and Mayden 2009; Chen et al. 2009; and others).
EXPERIENCE IN MANUSCRIPT & GRANT REFEREE for
Ministry of Science and Technology (formerly, National Science Council), Taiwan (2009 ~ present)
Czech Science Foundation (2020)
National Science Center, Poland (2013)
African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) of South Africa (2012)
National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FONDECYT), Chile (2010)
Associate editor for a specialty section of Frontiers in Marine Science - Marine Evolutionary Biology, Biogeography and Species Diversity (2014 ~ present)
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2013, 2014, 2016-2018, 2021)
Scientific data (2022)
GENES (2021, 2023)
Heredity (2021)
Marine Biodiversity (2021)
Mitochondrial DNA (2021)
Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology (2021)
Thalassas (2020)
Scientific data (2020)
FishTaxa (2020)
Marine Diversity (2020)
Journal of Fish Biology (2004, 2016, 2017)
Zoological Studies (2017, 2018)
Systematic Biology (2016)
Zoology (2016)
DNA Barcodes (2015)
Cybium (2015)
Marine Biodiversity records (2015)
Zoological Scripta (2011, 2013, 2015)
Journal of Ichthyology (2014)
Journal of Systematics and Evolution (2012)
Marine Ecology Progress Series (2011)
Zootaxa (2010, 2019)
Systematics and Biodiversity (2010)
Biology Letter (2009)
Hydrobiologia (2009)
Ichthyological Research (2006)
Journal of Biogeography (2006)
Molecular Biology and Evolution (2003)
TEACHING
Molecular phylogenetics
Vertebrate zoology
Marine fish taxonomy: a practice work
Evolutionary Biology and Population Genetics: Theory and Practice
Advanced course of evolutionary biology
Basic in theoretical evolutionary Ecology
Marine biotechnology: case studies
Methods in marine genetic data analyses
Paper reading in marine biology (master and Ph.D. level)