Graduate student
My research focuses on neural development and neurological diseases, with the goal of addressing two main questions: 1) How transcription factors regulate neural wiring and circuit formation, and 2) How toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease disrupt neuronal function and affect peripheral tissues. To investigate these questions, I utilize Drosophila genetics and single-cell sequencing technologies, under the guidance of Dr. Hugo Bellen and Dr. Hongjie Li. Through these innovative approaches, I aim to advance our understanding of complex neural circuits and the mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases.
Park YJ*, Lu TC*, Jackson T, Goodman LD, Ran L, Chen J, Liang CY, Harrison E, Ko C, Chen X, Wang B, Hsu AL, Ochoa E, Bieniek KF, Yamamoto S, Zhu Y, Zheng H, Qi Y, Bellen HJ#, Li H# (2025). Distinct systemic impacts of AB42 and Tau revealed by whole-organism snRNA-seq in Drosophila Neuron 113(13) S0896-6273(25)00299-5
Goodman LD, Ralhan I, Li X, Lu S, Moulton MJ, Park YJ, Zhao P, Kanca O, Ghaderpour Taleghani ZS, Jacquemyn J, Shulman JM, Ando K, Sun K, Ioannou MS, Bellen HJ (2024). Tau is required for glial lipid droplet formation and resistance to neuronal oxidative stress Nature Neuroscience 27(10) 1918-1933 Abstract
Liao JZ, Chung HL, Shih C, Wong KKL, Dutta D, Nil Z, Burns CG, Kanca O, Park YJ, Zuo Z, Marcogliese PC, Sew K, Bellen HJ, Verheyen EM (2024). Cdk8/CDK19 promotes mitochondrial fission through Drp1 phosphorylation and can phenotypically suppress pink1 deficiency in Drosophila Nat Commun 15(1) 3326 Abstract
Lu TC, Brbic M, Park YJ, Jackson T, Chen J, Kolluru SS, Qi Y, Katheder NS, Cai XT, Lee S, Chen YC, Auld N, Liang CY, Ding SH, Welsch D, D'Souza S, Pisco AO, Jones RC, Leskovec J, Lai EC, Bellen HJ, Luo L, Jasper H, Quake SR, Li H (2023). Aging Fly Cell Atlas identifies exhaustive aging features at cellular resolution Science 380(6650) eadg0934 Abstract
Chung HL, Ye Q, Park YJ, Zuo Z, Kanca O, Mok J-W, Tattikota SG, Lu S, Perrimon N, Lee HK, Bellen HJ (2023). Very long-chain fatty acids induce glial-derived Sphingosine-1-Phosphate synthesis, secretion, and neuroinflammation Cell Metabolism 35(5) 855-874
Park YJ, Kim S, Shim HP, Park JH, Lee G, Kim TY, Jo MC, Kwon AY, Lee M, Lee S, Yeo J, Chung HL, Bellen HJ, Kwon SH, Jeon SH (2021). Phosphatidylserine synthase plays an essential role in glia and affects development, as well as the maintenance of neuronal function iScience DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102899 Abstract
Chung HL, Mao X, Wang H, Park YJ, Marcogliese PC, Rosenfels JA, Burrage LC, Liu P, Murdock DR, Yamamoto S, Wangler MF, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Chao HT, Long H, Feng L, Bacino CA, Bellen HJ, Xiao B (2020). De novo variants in CDK19 are associated with a new syndrome with intellectual disability and epileptic encephalopathy American Journal of Human Genetics 106 717-725 Abstract
Wang J, Rousseau J, Kim E, Ehresmann S, Cheng YT, Duraine L, Zuo Z, Park YJ, Li-Kroeger D, Bi W, Wong LJ, Rosenfeld J, Gleeson J, Faqeih E, Alkuraya FS, Wierenga KJ, Chen J, Afenjar A, Nava C, Doummar D, Keren B, Juusola J, Grompe M, Bellen HJ, Campeau PM (2019). Loss of Oxidation Resistance 1, OXR1, is associated with an autosomal-recessive eurological disease with cerebellar atrophy and lysosomal dysfunction American Journal of Human Genetics 105 1237-1253 Abstract