What inspired you to become a neuroscientist?
I wanted to be a scientist from pretty early on, probably because my dad was a scientist; he studied physics and he was a professor in engineering. Having that influence made me feel like science was a good thing to do. And then when I was in elementary school in Korea, we were able to watch documentary series. Carl Sagan and his series Cosmos was one, and it was amazing. He explained the cosmos, the universe, and the physics behind everything in such a way that I was fascinated. Even as a little child, I was able to follow all of the things he was talking about in the series. And I wanted to be scientist – so that was my goal.
Please tell us about your lab and how you became interested in your area of research.
My lab studies how experiences leaves a lasting trace in the brain, the cellular and molecular changes that happen at synapses to create memories.
My journey in this line of research started because I was interested in understanding how memories are formed in the brain, and that’s why I became a neuroscientist. I was training as a biologist when I was doing my undergraduate work in Korea. Back then I was interested in molecular genetics, and I was thinking about being a molecular biologist or something to do with molecular genetics. Then I had an opportunity to go to Brown as an undergraduate exchange student for one year, and that’s where I bumped into neuroscience. Brown had one of the first, I believe, undergraduate neuroscience programs. So, I was enrolled in the intro to neuroscience course, Neuro 001, and I was sitting in the front row, like I normally do, in this gigantic auditorium with 400 students, a huge class. Then my PhD mentor-to-be Mark Bear was giving a lecture about memory, and that’s when I realized, that’s it. I want to do this because they can study how memories are formed in a biological way, and that really caught my attention. I fell in love with the idea that I can study these things and be a biologist. My journey started there.
What is a current project that you’re working on in your lab?
I’m researching how sensory deprivation can change the brain, revealing a phenomenon called cross-modal plasticity. This is how the brain adapts when a sense is lost. For example, blind musicians often have perfect pitch, and some blind people use echolocation or read braille, showing their heightened remaining senses.
When we deprive rodents of vision, we observe brain changes that support sensory adaptation. We’re investigating the mechanisms behind these changes to enhance plasticity in humans, aiding in sensory compensation and developing therapies for recovering lost senses.
Cochlear implants can restore hearing if implanted early in life, but are less effective later due to reduced brain plasticity. We’re studying brain changes from hearing loss to improve recovery. This research also applies to visual prostheses, as understanding brain changes from vision loss is crucial for developing effective treatments.
If a student would like to work in your lab, what are some of the qualities you seek?
For me, motivation is key. If a student isn’t self-motivated, it’s challenging for me to inspire them, as I’m not naturally a cheerleader. Students need to bring their own drive and enthusiasm. With that “fire in their belly,” I can teach them almost anything because they’re eager to learn. They must truly love this field of research, as the journey is tough. Without passion and motivation, it will be hard for them to become scientists and overcome the inevitable challenges. If they lack this drive, guiding them through difficult times becomes very challenging.
Do you have time for any hobbies or interests outside of science? I don’t have much free time, but I do have a canary that I got after my son went to college. During Covid, my husband Alfredo came back home with a very small baby bird he found on the street. It was only just hatched, from what I could tell. So we decided we’ll try to raise it, and we did manage to, and then we set it free. And I was very sad because I got so attached to the bird. You’d never know that you can get attached to a bird, but you do. So, when my son went to college, I said, I need something. I want to get a bird. So we got a bird.
Image Credit: Nari, Hey-Young’s pet canary / Hey-Kyoung Lee
Image Credit: Let’s Celebrate! This is a tradition in the Lee Lab. Each published paper is celebrated with a bottle of champagne / Hey-Kyoung Lee
