I graduated from Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea with B.S and M.S degrees in Nutrition and Biochemistry, respectively. I have broad training and extensive experience in area spanning regulation of gene transcription, signal transduction, cell biology, metabolic and vascular animal physiology, and translational studies with an eye towards therapeutic discovery for human diseases. While in graduate school at Iowa State University and during post-doctoral training at Penn State University, I focused on elucidating mechanisms for transcriptional activation. of cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) to regulate glucose metabolism in the liver. I received the second post-doctoral training with Dr. Michael Quon in the Diabetes Unit, NIH. Here, I developed deep expertise in signal transduction, particularly related to insulin action and endothelial function. I also gained a more thorough understanding of animal and human physiology and pathophsyiology related to diabetes, obesity, and their cardiovascular complications. After post-doctoral training, I obtained an independent position at the University of Missouri, Columbia. While at Missouri, I expanded my research from basic science to animal physiology and translational research. Since 2010, I have been appointed as a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB).
