MEMBERS

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Yoon-Seong Kim, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Yoon-Seong Kim is a Professor at the Department of Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and is a faculty at the Institute for Neurological Therapeutics. He joined Rutgers in May 2020 as an Associate Professor with Tenure and was promoted to full Professor in 2023. Prior to joining Rutgers, he was a faculty at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences of UCF. Dr. Kim received his Medical degree from Kyunghee University Medical College, South Korea, and obtained a Ph.D. degree from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. Under the supervision of the late Prof. Emeritus Tong H. Joh, he conducted research investigating the role of microglial activation in contributing to dopaminergic neuronal degeneration in Parkinson’s Disease. Building upon his previous research, Dr. Kim is currently dedicated to expanding and advancing the understanding of Aging and the etiology and treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases.

yk525@rutgers.edu

POSTDOCTORAL SCIENTISTS

Inhye Jeong, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Ph.D. in Medical Science Yonsei University, 2020
M.S. in Food and Biotechnology Korea University, 2010
B.S. in Food and Biotechnology Korea University, 2007

ij114@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Woomyee Bae Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Ph.D. in Biomedical Science Kyung Hee University, 2019
M.S. in Neuroscience Kyung Hee University, 2015
B.S. in Marine Molecular Bioscience Gangneung-Wonju National University, 2012

wb267@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Woo-Hyun Cho, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Ph.D. Biological Science, Konkuk University, 2015
M.S. Biological Science, Konkuk University, 2011
B.S. Biological Science, Konkuk University, 2009

woohyun.jo@rutgers.edu

Projects:

  • Oligodendrocytes in Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis
  • Gut-Barin in Parkinson’s disease

GRADUATE RESEARCHER

Wilfred Christi Salvatierra

MBS Capstone Mentee
B.S. in Biology Villanova University, 2022

ws467@gsbs.rutgers.edu

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

Anirudh Koneru

Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. in Biology, The College of New Jersey 2026

ak2062@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Ameya Patel

Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. in Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University – Honors College 2027

ameya.patel@rutgers.edu

Youngseo Tiffany Yun

Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. in Biology, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University 2026

yy699@scarletmail.rutgers.edu

VISITING SCHOLAR

Jeon-Kyung Kim, Ph.D.

2017 B.S.  College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University
2021 Ph.D.  College of Pharmacy, Kyung-Hee University
2021. 3 – 2021. 9 Research Professor, Kyung-Hee University
2021. 10 – present Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, Jeonbuk National University

June. 2025 – August. 2025 Visiting Scholar, Institute for Neurological Therapeutics, RWJMS at Rutgers University (Dr. Yoon-Seong Kim Lab)

Jihong Min, M.D., Ph.D.

2008 M.D. School of medicine, Pusan National University
2012 M.S. Rehabilitation medicine,  Pusan National University
2017 Ph.D. Rehabilitation medicine, Pusan National University

2010 –2014 Resident in Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
2017 – Present Clinical Associate Professor in Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea
Aug. 2023 – Feb. 2024 Visiting Scholar, Institute for Neurological Therapeutics, RWJMS at Rutgers University (Dr. Yoon-Seong Kim Lab)

ALUMNI

Hyun Huh, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Ph.D. Chemistry, Seoul National University, 2014
B.S. Chemistry, Korea University, 2002
Dr. Kim lab: March 1, 2023 – February 29, 2024

Projects:

  • StayGold-based mitochondrial Super-resolution Imaging
  • MinSOG-based optogenetic nuclear oxidative stress

Minkyung Song, Ph.D.

Qualification: Ph.D. in Nursing Science, 2019, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Central Floria & Rutgers, 2019-2023

Projects:

  • Single-nuclei Multiomic Analysis of the effects of Aging and Parkinson’s disease
  • Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis Model of PD

Present Affiliation: Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Kyung Hee University

Levi Adams, Ph.D.

Qualification: Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, 2020, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, UCF
Postdoctoral Fellow, Rutgers, 2020-2022
Start & End year in Yoon Kim lab: 2014-2022

Projects:

  • Single-nuclei Multiomic Analysis of the effects of Aging and Parkinson’s disease
  • CRISPR/Cas9-SunTag-based target-specific modulation of epigenetic marks

Present Affiliation: Lecturer in Biology, Assistant in Instruction, Department of Biology, Bates College

Subhro Guhathakurta, Ph.D.

Qualification: Ph.D. in Biotechnology, 2009, University of Calcutta
Postdoctoral Fellow, Weill Cornell Medicine & University of Central Florida, 2009-2015
Research Assistant Professor, University of Central Florida, 2016-2019

Projects:

  • Epigenetic regulation in neurodegenerative diseases with special Parkinson’s disease
  • Role of oxidative stress in Parkinson’ Disease

Present Affiliation: Senior Director of Biology, SalioGen Therapeutics
LinkedIn

Goun Je, M.D., Ph.D.

Qualification: MD-PhD, 2016, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University ”
Start & End year in Yoon Kim lab: 2011-2013, 2016-2018
Positions: PhD student 2011-2013, Postdoctoral fellow 2016-2018

Projects:

  • Pum2-dependent translational regulation of alpha-synuclein near mitochondria and contribution to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease
  • Endogenous α-SYN protein analysis from human brain tissues using single-molecule pull-down assay.

Present Affiliation: Fellow Physician in Neurology, Stanford University

Ana Clara Cristovao, Ph.D.

Qualification: PhD in Cell Biology, specialty Neurosciences, 2011, Coimbra University, Portugal
Start & End year in Yoon Kim lab: 2008-2013
Postdoctoral Fellow: 2011-2013

Projects:

  • Role of NADPH oxidase 1 in Parkinson’s disease.
  • Present Affiliation: Auxiliary Researcher at CICS-UBI Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Portugal

CEO and Co-founder of NeuroSoV
www.neursov.com / – CICS @ UBI

Sambuddha Basu,  Ph.D.

Qualification: Ph.D. in Biomedical Science, 2017, University of Central Florida
Start & End year in Yoon Kim lab: 2012-2018
Postdoctoral Fellow: University of Central Florida, 2017-2018
Postdoctoral Fellow: National Institutes of Health (NIA), 2018-2019

Projects:

  • Transcriptional mutagenesis of α-synuclein caused by DNA oxidation in Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis
  • A novel tool for monitoring endogenous alpha-synuclein transcription
  • Evaluation of translational efficacy of a novel NADPH oxidase 1/NADPH oxidase 4 inhibitor using animal model of Parkinson’s disease

Present Affiliation:

Eugene Bok, Ph.D.

Qualification: PhD in Neuroscience, 2011, Ajou University, South Korea
Start & End year in Yoon Kim lab: 2011-2015
Positions: Postdoctoral fellow 2011-2015

Projects:

  • Biochemical characterization of NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1

Present Affiliation: Researcher, Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute

Doosu Baik, DDS

Qualification: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), UCLA School of Dentistry
Residency- Advanced Education in General Dentistry, UCLA School of Dentistry
Fellowship- Associate Fellow, American Academy of Implant Dentistry

Start & End year in Yoon Kim lab: 2011-2015
Positions: Postdoctoral fellow 2011-2015

Projects:

  • Pum2-mediated regulation of alpha-synuclein near mitochondria
  • Epigenetic regulation of alpha-synuclein

Present Affiliation: President/CEO, GJS Dental Group
Sunrise Dental of Monroe

Evan Adler

Qualification: BS Biomedical Sciences, 2018, University of Central Florida
Start & End year in Yoon Kim lab: 2015-2019
Positions: Undergraduate Volunteer 2015-2018, Lab Technician 2018-2019

Projects:

  • Role of NADPH1 in Parkinson’s Disease pathogenesis via the gut-brain axis
  • CRISPR-based modulation of histone proteins at the SNCA promoter
  • Development of GFP-tagged Tyrosine Hydroxylase gene in a neuronal cell line

Present Affiliation: Medical Student, USF Morsani College of Medicine
LinkedIn