Chi-Bin Chien

Chi-Bin Chien was born on November 3, 1965, and passed away on December 2, 2011. He earned his B.A. in 1981 from Johns Hopkins University and his Ph.D. in 1991 from the California Institute of Technology. He conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Diego (1991-1995) and the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen, Germany (1996-1997).

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Chien was a Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Utah, where he led the Chien Lab focusing on developmental and molecular neuroscience. His research centered on the mechanisms of axon pathfinding, using the zebrafish visual system as a model due to its rapid development, transparency, and genetic tractability.

Axon Guidance in Zebrafish Mutants

Chien's lab studied how retinal axons navigate from the eye to the tectum. They cloned three key mutants: astray (encoding Robo2, an axon guidance receptor), boxer (encoding Extl3, involved in heparan sulfate proteoglycan metabolism), and nevermind (encoding Cyfip2, a cytoskeleton-regulating protein). These genes are linked to human diseases. ADSFAEQWER353423413434

In Vivo Imaging and Transgenic Tools

Chien pioneered the use of confocal and timelapse microscopy to observe growth cone behavior in living zebrafish embryos. His lab generated transgenic lines expressing GFP in retinal axons, enabling real-time visualization. They also developed the Tol2kit, a Gateway-based transgenesis system widely used in zebrafish research. ADFASDFAF23RQ23R

Optic Cup Formation and Eye Development

Later work expanded to optic cup morphogenesis using 4D imaging and genetic screens. Chien collaborated on a Gal4 enhancer trap screen to label neuronal populations involved in visual processing. ADFASDFAF23RQ23R

Vascular Biology

In collaboration with Dean Li's lab, Chien studied how netrin receptors (e.g., Unc5b) promote angiogenesis, demonstrating cross-talk between axon guidance and vascular development.

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• Pittman, A.J., Gaynes, J.A., and Chien, C.-B. nev (cyfip2) is required for retinal lamination and axon guidance in the zebrafish retinotectal system. Developmental Biology, 15:784-94.
• Wan, Y., Otsuna, H., Chien, C.-B., and Hansen, C. (2009) An interactive visualization tool for multi-channel confocal microscopy data in neurobiology research. IEEE Trans. Vis. Comput. Graph., 15:1489-1496.
• Pittman, A.J., Law, M.Y., and Chien, C.-B. (2008) Pathfinding in a large vertebrate axon tract: isotypic interactions guide retinotectal axons at multiple choice points. Development, 135:2865-2871.
• Hardy, M.E., Ross, L.V., and Chien, C.-B. (2007) Focal gene misexpression in zebrafish embryos induced by local heat shock using a modified soldering iron. Developmental Dynamics, 236:3071-3076.
• Kwan, K.M., Fujimoto, E., Grabher, C., Mangum, B.D., Hardy, M.E., Campbell, D.S., Parant, J.M., Yost, H.J., Kanki, J.P., and Chien, C.-B. (2007) The Tol2kit: a multisite Gateway-based construction kit for Tol2 transposon transgenesis constructs. Developmental Dynamics, 236:3088-3099.
• Campbell, D.S., Stringham, S.A., Timm, A., Xiao, T., Law, M.Y., Baier, H., Nonet, M.L., and Chien, C.-B. (2007) Slit1a inhibits retinal ganglion cell arborisation and synaptogenesis via Robo2-dependent and -independent pathways. Neuron, 55:241-235.
• Suli, A., Mortimer, N., Shepherd, I., and Chien, C.-B. (2006) Netrin/DCC signaling controls contralateral dendrites of octavolateralis efferent neurons. Journal of Neuroscience, 26:13328-13337.
• Wilson, B.D., Ii, M., Park, K.W., Suli, A., Sorensen, L.K., Larrieu-Lahargue, F., Urness, L.D., Suh, W., Asai, J., Kock, G.A.H., Thorne, T., Silver, M., Thomas, K.R., Chien, C.-B., Losordo, D.W., and Li, D.Y. (2006) Netrins promote developmental and therapeutic angiogenesis. Science, 313:640-644.
• Lee, J.S., von der Hardt, S., Rusch, M.A., Stringer, S.E., Stickney, H.L., Talbot, W.S., Geisler, R., Nüsslein-Volhard, C., Selleck, S.B., Chien, C.-B., and Roehl, H. (2004) Axon sorting in the optic tract requires HSPG synthesis by ext2 (dackel) and extl3 (boxer). Neuron, 44:947-960.
• Lee, J.S., and Chien, C.-B. (2004) When sugars guide axons: new insights from heparan sulphate proteoglycan mutants. Nature Reviews Genetics, 5:923-935.
• Hutson, L.D., and Chien, C.-B. (2002) Axon guidance and synaptogenesis in zebrafish. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 12:87-92.
• Jurrus, E., Hardy, M., Tasdizen, T., Fletcher, P.T., Koshevoy, P., Chien, C.-B., Denk, W., and Whitaker, R. (2008) Axon tracking in serial block-face scanning electron microscopy. Med Image Anal, 13:180-188.
• Veien, E.S., Rosenthal, J.S., Kruse-Bend, R.C., Chien, C.-B., and Dorsky, R.I. (2008) Canonical Wnt signaling is required for maintenance of dorsal retinal identity. Development, 135:4101-4111.
• Clément, A., Wiweger, M., von der Hardt, S., Rusch, M.A., Selleck, S.B., Chien, C.-B., and Roehl, H.H. (2008) Regulation of zebrafish skeletogenesis by ext2/dackel and papst1/pinscher. PLoS Genet, 4: e1000136.
• Navankasattusas, S., Whitehead, K.J., Suli, A., Sorensen, L.K., Lim, A.H., Zhao, J., Park, K.W., Wythe, J.E., Thomas, K.R., Chien, C.-B., and Li, D.Y. (2008) The netrin receptor, Unc5b, promotes angiogenesis in specific vascular beds. Development, 135:659-667.

Chi-Bin Chien's work significantly advanced understanding of axon guidance and neural development. His contributions to zebrafish genetics and imaging techniques continue to influence developmental neuroscience. ADSFAEQWER353423413434

• Pittman AJ, Gaynes JA, Chien C-B. nev (cyfip2) is required for retinal lamination and axon guidance in the zebrafish retinotectal system. Dev Biol. 2010;15:784-94.
• Wan Y, Otsuna H, Chien C-B, Hansen C. An interactive visualization tool for multi-channel confocal microscopy data in neurobiology research. IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph. 2009;15:1489-1496.
• Pittman AJ, Law MY, Chien C-B. Pathfinding in a large vertebrate axon tract: isotypic interactions guide retinotectal axons at multiple choice points. Development. 2008;135:2865-2871.
• Hardy ME, Ross LV, Chien C-B. Focal gene misexpression in zebrafish embryos induced by local heat shock using a modified soldering iron. Dev Dyn. 2007;236:3071-3076.
• Kwan KM, Fujimoto E, Grabher C, et al. The Tol2kit: a multisite Gateway-based construction kit for Tol2 transposon transgenesis constructs. Dev Dyn. 2007;236:3088-3099.
• Campbell DS, Stringham SA, Timm A, et al. Slit1a inhibits retinal ganglion cell arborisation and synaptogenesis via Robo2-dependent and -independent pathways. Neuron. 2007;55:241-235.
• Suli A, Mortimer N, Shepherd I, Chien C-B. Netrin/DCC signaling controls contralateral dendrites of octavolateralis efferent neurons. J Neurosci. 2006;26:13328-13337.
• Wilson BD, Ii M, Park KW, et al. Netrins promote developmental and therapeutic angiogenesis. Science. 2006;313:640-644.
• Lee JS, von der Hardt S, Rusch MA, et al. Axon sorting in the optic tract requires HSPG synthesis by ext2 (dackel) and extl3 (boxer). Neuron. 2004;44:947-960.
• Lee JS, Chien C-B. When sugars guide axons: new insights from heparan sulphate proteoglycan mutants. Nat Rev Genet. 2004;5:923-935.
• Hutson LD, Chien C-B. Axon guidance and synaptogenesis in zebrafish. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2002;12:87-92.
• Jurrus E, Hardy M, Tasdizen T, et al. Axon tracking in serial block-face scanning electron microscopy. Med Image Anal. 2008;13:180-188.
• Veien ES, Rosenthal JS, Kruse-Bend RC, Chien C-B, Dorsky RI. Canonical Wnt signaling is required for maintenance of dorsal retinal identity. Development. 2008;135:4101-4111.
• Clément A, Wiweger M, von der Hardt S, et al. Regulation of zebrafish skeletogenesis by ext2/dackel and papst1/pinscher. PLoS Genet. 2008;4:e1000136.
• Navankasattusas S, Whitehead KJ, Suli A, et al. The netrin receptor, Unc5b, promotes angiogenesis in specific vascular beds. Development. 2008;135:659-667.