Chen is the surgeon-in-chief of UAB Hospital and chair of the Department of Surgery. A pioneer in radio-guided parathyroid surgery, Chen’s lab has been continuously funded for over 19 years and studies the role of Notch signaling in thyroid and neuroendocrine cancers. He has also been recognized for his passion for teaching and mentoring the next generation of surgical leaders.She authored “Behavioral Determinants of Mortgage Defaults,” which identified borrowers who are more like to default based on various socioeconomic measurements. Current research under Yates includes analyzing the success of financial education, as well as how consumers gain knowledge.