Ph.D., Applied Physics, 2007, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
M.S., Applied Physics, 2001, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
B.S., Physics, 1999, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Microfluidics, nanofabrication, optical brain imaging, biomedical devices, RNA imaging
The goal of my research is to develop new biomedical technologies for systems-level investigation of RNA regulation in living tissues and organisms. Using the novel techniques, I am interested in understanding how gene expression is controlled at the RNA level in the neural networks. One of the fundamental questions in neuroscience is how neural activities modulate the connectivity. Activity-dependent transcription and local protein synthesis are critical events involved in the formation and alteration of neural circuits. However, it is still unclear how de novo gene expression occurs in response to neural activities in real time at the single-cell, single-molecule level.
In my laboratory, we are studying the dynamics of transcription and RNA localization in live cells and tissues. Using our unique mouse models where every β-actin or Arc mRNA is fluorescently labeled, we have demonstrated the first single-molecule imaging of endogenous mRNA in live neurons and brain tissues. We have also developed new image analysis tools and theoretical models for mRNA transport in dendrites. These achievements will be the foundation for my long-term pursuit of non-invasive quantitative interrogation of gene expression in live animals and humans. My research is based on a multifaceted systems approach combining genetic engineering, RNA technology, in vivo imaging, and quantitative single-molecule analysis.
2019 Early Career Award, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)
2017 HHMI-Wellcome International Research Scholar Award, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Wellcome Trust
2017 Excellent Lecture Award, Seoul National University
2015 Chung-Am Science Young Investigator Fellowship, POSCO Chung-Am Foundation
2009 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Postdoctoral Fellows (F32), NIH
2000 W. M. Keck Fellowship, Cornell University
1999 Sage Fellowship, Cornell University
Lee, B. H., Shim, J. Y., Moon, H. C., Kim, D. W., Kim, J., Yook, J. S., Kim, J., Park, H. Y. (2022). Real-Time Visualization of mRNA Synthesis During Memory Formation in Live Mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119, e2117076119.
Park, S. Y., Moon, H. C., and Park, H. Y. (2020). Live-Cell Imaging of Single mRNA Dynamics using Split Superfolder Green Fluorescent Proteins with Minimal Background. RNA 26, 101-109.
Das, S., Moon, H. C., Singer, R. H., and Park, H. Y. (2018). A Transgenic Mouse for Imaging Activity-Dependent Dynamics of Endogenous Arc mRNA in Live Neurons. Science Advances 4, eaar3448.
Song, M. S., Moon, H. C., Jeon, J.-H., and Park, H. Y. (2018). Neuronal Messenger Ribonucleoprotein Transport Follows an Aging Lévy Walk. Nature Communications 9, 344.
Lee, B. H. and Park, H. Y. (2018). HybTrack: A Hybrid Single Particle Tracking Software Using Manual and Automatic Detection of Dim Signals. Scientific Reports 8, 212.
Vera, M., Biswas, J., Senecal, A., Singer, R. H., and Park, H. Y. (2016). Single Cell and Single-Molecule Analysis of Gene Expression Regulation. Annual Review of Genetics 50, 267.
Park, H. Y., Lim, H., Yoon, Y. J., Follenzi, A., Nwokafor, C., Lopez-Jones, M., Meng, X., and Singer, R. H. (2014). Visualization of Dynamics of Single Endogenous mRNA Labeled in Live Mouse. Science 343, 422.
Park, H. Y., Kim, S. A., Korlach, J., Rhoades, E., Kwok, L. W., Zipfel, W. R., Waxham, M. N., Webb, W. W., and Pollack, L. (2008). Conformational Changes of Calmodulin upon Ca2+ binding studied with a Microfluidic Mixer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 105, 542.