Tufts University: 175 Years of Innovation

Jake Jinkun Chen, D09, Professor of Basic and Clinical Translation Sciences and Director of the Division of Oral Biology, was awarded a patent for a potent anti-inflammatory small molecule with therapeutic efficacy for diabetes. His work explored the use of adiponectin receptor agonists and has been demonstrated to reduce insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and bone loss. Chen’s patent furthers an understanding of adiponectin, a protein hormone that affects the body’s metabolism, as a useful treatment for metabolic and inflammatory disorders.