Timothy Chen, MD, PhD, is a native of Los Angeles, CA. He graduated from the University of California Berkeley in 2011 with a BS in Bioengineering with High Honors. As an undergraduate, he was interested in tissue engineering and worked in Dr. Song Li’s laboratory developing small-diameter vascular grafts. He then earned a combined MD/PhD at Columbia University, where he performed his doctorate studies under the guidance of Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic. He worked in tissue engineering and on the development of in vitro human cardiac disease models. During his return to medical school, he became interested in ophthalmology and the expansive range of clinical and research opportunities the field presented. In his free time, he enjoys playing board games, cooking, and exploring Pittsburgh with his wife, Stephanie.