Jichao Chen, PhD, named 2021 McGovern teaching award winner

Students from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences have selected Jichao Chen, PhD, as the recipient of the 2021 John P. McGovern Award for Outstanding Teaching.

Chen is an associate professor in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is the director of the GSBS Program Genetics and Epigenetics program, and has been a faculty member at the Graduate School since 2011. 

His current research focuses the normal developmental processes that build the lung and how such processes evolve across species and go awry during lung malformations, injury and tumorigenesis.

 "I was thrilled to learn about this special award from our wonderful students,” said Chen. “Making a difference in students’ training is as important to me as making scientific discoveries.”

Every year GSBS students nominate and vote for the winner of the McGovern Award for Outstanding Teaching. The award recognizes excellence in teaching based on the following criteria: knowledge of the subject, interest in enthusiasm for teaching, interest in and understanding of students, responsiveness to student questions and encouragement of independent thinking, and accessibility to students.