Jiachen Chen

PhD candidate in Biostatistics at BUSPH.

Project Overview

This project investigates the roles of peripheral inflammation and immunosenescence in the development of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD). Through a series of studies leveraging the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort, we explore how circulating inflammatory proteins and immune cell phenotypes are associated with cognitive function, brain MRI measures, and long-term dementia risk.

Our objective is to identify biological pathways linking chronic inflammation, immunosenescence, and neurodegeneration, with the goal of discovering early biomarkers and intervention targets.

Selected Publications

1. Circulating Immune Cell Phenotypes and Inflammation
Chen, J., Doyle, M.F., Iyer, S., Cao Y., Ragab, A.A., Murabito, J.M., Lunetta, K.L. (Under Review)
Circulating immune cell phenotypes are associated with inflammatory biomarkers in dementia-free participants: Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort.
The Journal of Inflammation

2. Immune Cells and Cognitive Outcomes
Cao, Y., Lunetta, K.L., Chen, J., Ragab, A.A., Mez, J., Satizabal, C.L., Alosco, M.L., Fang, Y., Qiu, W.Q., Murabito, J.M., Doyle, M.F. (2025)
The Association of Circulating Immune Cells with Cognitive Function, Brain Imaging, and Incident All-Cause and Alzheimer’s Dementia: The Framingham Offspring Study.
Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences
DOI

3. Inflammatory Proteins and Brain MRI Measures
Chen, J.†, Ragab, A.A.†, Doyle, M.F., Alosco, M.L., Fang, Y., Mez, J., Satizabal, C.L., Qiu, W.Q., Murabito, J.M., Lunetta, K.L. (2024)
Inflammatory protein associations with brain MRI measures: Framingham Offspring Cohort.
Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association
DOI

4. Inflammation and Cognitive Outcomes (OLINK proteomics)
Chen, J., Doyle, M.F., Fang, Y., Mez, J., Crane, P.K., Scollard, P., Satizabal, C.L., Alosco, M.L., Qiu, W.Q., Murabito, J.M., Lunetta, K.L. (2023)
Peripheral inflammatory biomarkers are associated with cognitive function and dementia: Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort.
Aging Cell, 22(10)
DOI

5. Immune Cells and Aging-Associated Factors
Fang, Y., Doyle, M.F., Chen, J., Mez, J., Satizabal, C.L., Alosco, M.L., Qiu, W.Q., Lunetta, K.L., Murabito, J.M. (2023)
Circulating immune cell phenotypes are associated with age, sex, CMV, and smoking status in the Framingham Heart Study offspring participants.
Aging (Albany NY), 15(10)
DOI

6. Inflammatory Markers and Cognitive Aging (SABRe proteins)
Fang, Y., Doyle, M.F., Chen, J., Alosco, M.L., Mez, J., Satizabal, C.L., Qiu, W.Q., Murabito, J.M., Lunetta, K.L. (2022)
Association between inflammatory biomarkers and cognitive aging.
PLOS One, 17(9)
DOI

Beyond the central focus on inflammation and cognitive aging, our broader body of work explores how peripheral immune phenotypes and inflammatory proteins relate to biological aging, lifestyle factors, and mortality. These complementary studies have examined immune-aging connections with epigenetic clocks, alcohol use, sleep disruption, depressive symptoms, and thymic health, offering a more comprehensive view of the immunosenescence landscape across aging trajectories.

For a full list of publications, visit the Publications page.

† denotes joint first authorship.