How did you come to be at Johns Hopkins?
I trained as a physicist, with an undergraduate degree in physics and a PhD in biophysics, focusing on fluorescence-based spectroscopy. During my postdoctoral studies, I shifted toward biology, drawn by its exciting challenges and the unique perspective that physicists can bring.
After interviewing at several places, Hopkins stood out for its welcoming, collaborative, and intellectually rich environment. It offers a uniquely supportive culture and access to experts across disciplines, making collaboration seamless. For instance, I collaborate with quite a few people: Rachel Green in the Department of Biology in the Krieger School; Sarah Woodson in the Department of Biophysics in the Krieger School, Pan Li in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Shuying Sun in the Department of Physiology, and Bethany Gray in the Department of Pharmacology. And others: Takanari Inoue, Shigeki Watanabe, Seth Margolis, and TJ Ha.
What is the focus of your work now?
We do imaging; developing methods to see biological processes. We work with live cells at the single-molecule level. We image RNA to observe its birth, trafficking, degradation, and translation using fluorescence microscopy. We also develop methods to introduce perturbations into biological processes using small chemicals or light. We perturb the system and then observe what happens. The goal is to see when things happen, where they happen, and what the physiological consequences are.
What are a few current projects that you’re working on in the lab?
We have several projects, mainly organized through grants. One is developing a method for single-molecule imaging to study the translation mechanism. We also have a method grant to research and develop a way to control RNA, as I mentioned previously, with light or chemicals. We recently published papers on this. We use a small molecule to induce the degradation of a particular RNA. The goal is to visualize the RNA in neurons, allowing us to shine light on it and observe its activity. We also have another project in collaboration with Dr. Sun’s lab to study repetitive RNA or DNA sequences that induce neurodegeneration, particularly in ALS, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Can you talk about the champagne bottles with neckties that are cut in half?
In my first year, I had three graduate students, and they initiated a few traditions. One of these is a celebration after they pass their oral exam. We open a bottle of champagne, and then the student has a necktie. I cut the tie, and then the next student cuts the tie, and then the student keeps the bottom half. It’s called “break the tie.”
Do you have time for any hobbies or interests outside of science?
I enjoy playing badminton, volleyball, and ping pong, but I sustained an injury last year and have been recovering since then. I’m running now to try to get back to where I was before the injury.