Yungki Park PhD

Yungki Park

Yungki Park
PhD

Associate Professor

Department of Biochemistry

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Bioinformatics; Cell growth, differentiation and development; Neurobiology

Contact Information
B4-317 CBLS
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: (716) 881-7579
yungkipa@buffalo.edu



Professional Summary:

My laboratory seeks to understand the transcriptional regulatory network governing the development of oligodendrocytes (OLs) for central nervous system (CNS) myelination, with the long-term goal of translating this knowledge into the treatment of demyelinating diseases. CNS myelination by OLs is important not only for the saltatory conduction of action potentials but also for axonal integrity. Consistently, impaired myelination has been linked to both neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. To advance our understanding of OL development, we are currently pursuing two different research directions.

The first is to elucidate the functional mechanism of Myrf, a master regulator of OL development. Conditional knockout of Myrf in mice leads to lethal dysmyelination, highlighting the key role of Myrf in OL development and CNS myelination. We and the Emery laboratory have independently made the surprising discovery that Myrf is generated as an integral membrane protein that is auto-cleaved by its ICA domain into two fragments. This discovery invokes a number of fundamental questions about how Myrf drives OL differentiation. We employ both computational and experimental methodologies to elucidate the functional mechanism of Myrf.

The second is to identify new transcription factors and enhancers that govern OL development. We have recently developed an innovative method that maps promoter-distal enhancers to target genes in a principled manner. Using this method, we have elucidated how the expression of key OL genes, including Myrf and Plp1, is regulated. Further, we have uncovered the functional mechanism of rs17594362, a multiple sclerosis-linked single nucleotide polymorphism. We are currently characterizing a number of new OL enhancers and transcription factors.

Education and Training:

  • Fellowship, Postdoc, The University of Texas at Austin (2014)
  • PhD, Bioinformatics, Saarland University (2007)
  • MS, Bioinformatics, Saarland University (2006)
  • BS, Life Science, POSTECH (2002)

Employment:

  • Associate Professor, Biochemistry, SUNY Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2021-present)
  • Assistant Professor, Biochemistry, SUNY Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2014–2021)

Grants and Sponsored Research:

  • July 2021–December 2023
    Role of Pacs2 in central nervous system myelination
    National Institutes of Health
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $438,625
  • December 2019–November 2021
    Systematic discovery of critical oligodendrocyte transcription factors by a CRISPRi screen
    NIH/NINDS
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $438,625
  • July 2019–June 2021
    Identifying oligodendrocyte enhancers that govern the expression of Olig1/2
    NIH/NINDS
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $438,625
  • September 2015–June 2021
    Transcription mechanism of Myrf for central nervous system myelination.
    NIH/NINDS
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $1,839,820
  • April 2018–March 2021
    Role of oligodendrocyte enhancers in central nervous system development and disease
    NIH/NINDS
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $438,625
  • November 2017–October 2018
    Elucidating the pathogenetic mechanisms of multiple sclerosis
    National Multiple Sclerosis Society
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $44,000
  • December 2021
    Modulation of oligodendrocyte development by voltage-operated calcium channels
    National Institutes of Health
    Role: Co-Investigator
    $1,993,750

Journal Articles:

See all (15 more)

Presentations:

  • "Myrf (Myelin regulatory factor): from bioinformatics to neurobiology and birth defects" Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston (2023)
  • "How is Plp1 expressed in oligodendrocytes?" The 13th Great Lakes Glia Meeting (2022)
  • "2021 Physician Scientist Training Program, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University" Talk for physician scientists (2021)
  • "Medical Scientist Training Program, University at Buffalo" Talk for MSTP students (2021)

Service Activities:

  • Representing the Genetic, Genomics and Bioinformatics program to SUNY Cobleskill Biotechnology program students and faculty; Representing member (2023)
  • Inviting a seminar speaker (Dr. Quasar Saleem Padiath at University of Pittsburgh) (2023)
  • Neuroscience Research Day; Judge (2023)
  • BioEssays; ad hoc reviewer (2023)
  • Journal of Cell Biology; ad hoc reviewer (2023)
  • Committee on Promotions to Academic (Tenurial) Ranks (2023–present)
  • Graduate Education Committee of the Neuroscience program (2023–present)
  • Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program Summer Research Poster Symposium & Luncheon; Judge (2023)
  • eNeuro; ad hoc reviewer (2023)
  • Biochemistry Research Day; Judge (2023)
  • Inviting a seminar speaker (Dr. Mingfu Wu at University of Houston) (2023)
  • BioEssays; ad hoc reviewer (2023)
  • Current Protocols; ad hoc reviewer (2023)
  • Admission interviews for PPBS applicants; Interviewer (2023)
  • Genetic, Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Day; Judge (2023)
  • Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine; ad hoc reviewer (2022)
  • Neuroscience Research Day; Judge (2022)
  • Faculty Search Committee (2022–2023)
  • (2022–present)
  • Inviting a seminar speaker (Dr. Jae-Sung Yang at Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics in Barcelona, Spain (05/10/2022)) (2022)
  • Faculty Council Select Committee on Graduate Educational Policies in Biomedical Sciences; Member representing Biochemistry (2022–present)
  • Inviting a seminar speaker (Dr. Dae-Kyum Kim at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (03/08/2022)) (2022)
  • Genetic, Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Day; Judge (2022)
  • Molecular Brain; ad hoc reviewer (2021)
  • Genetic, Genomics and Bioinformatics steering committee (2021–present)
  • Bioinformatics; ad hoc reviewer (2021)
  • Neuroscience Letters; ad hoc reviewer (2021)
  • Inviting a seminar speaker (Dr. Kyu-Sang Park at Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, on 3/30/2021) (2021)
  • Trends in Genetics; ad hoc reviewer (2021)
  • Inviting a seminar speaker (Dr. Volkhard Helms at Universität des Saarlandes on 2/9/21) (2021)
  • Neuroscience Master’s and PhD program admissions committee (2021–2023)
  • The PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences admissions committee; Primary member (2021–2022)
  • International Journal of Biological Sciences; ad hoc reviewer (2021)

School News:

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Contact Information

B4-317 CBLS
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: (716) 881-7579
yungkipa@buffalo.edu