Team

Yoon-A Kang, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator 

Dr. Kang earned her B.A. in Biology at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. During her Master’s degree in the laboratory of Dr. Chae-ok Yun at Yonsei University, she developed a novel anticancer therapy using an artificial transcription factor targeting VEGF promoter and oncolytic adenovirus. For her Ph.D. training, she joined the laboratory of Dr. Emery Bresnick at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied how the GATA factor pathway regulates erythropoiesis. She conducted her postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Emmanuelle Passegué investigating the regulatory mechanisms underlying early myeloid lineage specification in the hematopoietic system. When not in the lab, Dr. Kang enjoys the outdoors and museums.

In-Won Lee, PhD.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Inwon Lee completed a combined Master’s and PhD program in the Laboratory of Animal Developmental Biotechnology under the supervision of Prof. Jun-Hee Lee at Gyeongsang National University. During his PhD training, he worked extensively with various pluripotent stem cells and investigated their differentiation into vascular endothelial cells. He also performed xenotransplantation experiments to explore whether endothelial cells derived from one species could contribute to vascular regeneration in another species. His research experience spans stem cell biology, endothelial functional assays, molecular biology techniques, and transplantation models. At Washington University in St. Louis, he is studying hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell fate decisions, with a particular interest in erythroid lineage specification and epigenetic regulation. In his free time, he enjoys swimming, driving, and digital music mixing.

Shindy Soedono, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Shindy pursued her M.S./Ph.D. in Biomedical Science at Soonchunhyang University, South Korea, under the supervision of Professor Kae Won Cho. During her doctoral training, she focused on immunometabolism, investigating the role of adipose tissue dendritic cells (ATDCs) in obesity-induced insulin resistance. Her work identified a key role for ATDCs in regulating regulatory T cells (Tregs) through IL-33 signaling, and revealed a novel, non-inflammatory function in glycemic control via the DPP4/GLP-1 axis during obesity. In addition, she explored the mechanisms underlying weight cycling (“yo-yo” dieting), with a focus on myelopoiesis. Building on this foundation, her current research interest lies in understanding how metabolic stress reshapes hematopoiesis and influences cell fate decisions. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling, playing tennis, and exploring new cafés.

Hyunjoo Choi, MS.

Research Assistant

Hyunjoo majored in Biomedical Laboratory Science (Clinical Pathology) at Eulji University and obtained a license as a Medical Laboratory Technologist. During her Master’s degree in the laboratory of Dr. Chae-Seung Lim at Korea University, she developed the lamb wave-based blood analysis technology and diagnostic kits for the detection of M. tuberculosis using LAMP in hematology and molecular biology fields. After graduation, she conducted research on biomarkers related to aging and disease using multi-omics data and bioinformatics skills. During her industry experience, she had a career as an examiner for medical device regulatory approvals in MFDS. She usually reads books or exercises in her spare time.

Yesenia Earth, BS.

Postbaccalaureate Researcher

Yesenia graduated from New Mexico State University with a B.S. in Biology and aspire to further my education by pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. In my free time, I enjoy traveling to new places and trying different cuisines.

 

Alumni

Aditi Kishore
Bin Choi, MD
Sangeun Jung, PhD
Jihwan Hwang
Jeeseung Kim, MS