A highly motivated neuroscientist with expertise in molecular biology and strong interpersonal skills whose long-term research goal is to lead a rigorous, multi-faceted research program as an independent investigator to (1) investigate molecular players that can critically drive or suppress pathological protein aggregation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases, (2) develop therapeutic strategies to effectively reverse and/or prevent pathological changes of tau in the brain, and (3) elucidate splicing regulators and biological roles of an understudied, pathology-resisting big tau isoform.
Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate
Advisor: Huda Y. Zoghbi, M.D.
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Leading the characterization of properties and functions of an atypical “big tau” isoform that resists pathological changes.
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Investigating novel regulators that can critically modulate the expression level and post-translational modifications of tau.
Education
2019-Present
Postdoctoral Associate
Advisor: Huda Y. Zoghbi, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)
2013-2019
Ph.D. in Neuroscience
Advisor: Leonard Petrucelli, Ph.D.
Committee: Drs. Dennis W. Dickson,
Jungsu Kim, Pamela J. McLean, John D. Fryer
Mayo Clinic Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences (MCGSBS)
2008-2012
Washington University in St. Louis
B.A. in Biochemistry
Minor in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology
Publications
1. Chung DC, Deng X, Yalamanchili H, Revelli JP, Han A, Tadros B, Richman R, Dias M, Naini FA, Boeynaems S, Hyman BT, and Zoghbi HY. (2024) “The big tau splice isoform resists Alzheimer’s-related pathological changes.” bioRxiv. (Manuscript In Revision.)
· Featured in: AlzForum, The Transmitter, GWAS Stories
2. Tadros B, Kim J, Xhako E, Chung DC, Li Y, Kim Y, Liang YH, Jung SY, Zoghbi HY. “LMO7 modulates tau levels by regulating CHIP-BAG5 interplay: Novel insights into tauopathy mechanisms.” In preparation.
3. Kim J, Tadros B, Liang YH, Kim Y, Lasagna-Reeves C, Sonn JY, Chung DC, Hyman BT, Holtzman DM, Zoghbi HY. (2024) “TYK2 regulates tau levels, phosphorylation, and aggregation in tauopathy model mice”. Nature Neuroscience 27(12): 2417-2429.
4. Chung DC, Roemer S, Petrucelli L, and Dickson DW. (2021) “Cellular and pathological heterogeneity of primary tauopathies.” Molecular Neurodegeneration 16(1): 57.
5. Chung DC, Carlomagno Y, Cook CN, Jansen-West KR, Daughrity L, Lewis-Tuffin LJ, Castanedes-Casey M, DeTure M, Dickson DW*, and Petrucelli L*. (2019) “Tau Exhibits Unique Seeding Properties in Globular Glial Tauopathy.” Acta Neuropathologica Communications 7(1): 36. (* Co-corresponding authors.)
6. Carlomagno Y, Chung DC, Yue M, Kurti A, Avendaño NM, Castanedes-Casey M, Ross KM, Jansen-West K, Daughrity L, Tong J, Phillips V, Rademakers R, DeTure M, Fryer JD, Dickson DW, Petrucelli L, Cook CN. (2019) “Enhanced phosphorylation of T153 in soluble tau is a defining biochemical feature of the A152T tau risk variant.” Acta Neuropathologica Communications 7(1): 10.
7. Chung DC*, Stankowski JN*, and Petrucelli L. (2017) “Neurobiology of FTD: Animal and Human Studies.” Charney & Nestler's Neurobiology of Mental Illness 5th edition. Charney DS, Nestler EJ, Sklar P, Buxbaum JD. Eds. (* Equal contribution.)
8. Carlomagno Y, Chung DC, Yue M, Castanedes-Casey M, Madden BJ, Dunmore J, Tong J, DeTure M, Dickson DW, Petrucelli L, and Cook C. (2017) “An acetylation-phosphorylation switch that regulates tau aggregation propensity and function.” Journal of Biological Chemistry 292(37): 15277-15286.
9. Kim J, Yoon H, Chung DE, Brown JL, Belmonte KC, and Kim J. (2015) “miR-186 is decreased in aged brain and suppresses BACE1 expression.” Journal of Neurochemistry 137(3): 436-45.
Fundings & Fellowships
[2023-2025]
[2021-2022]
[2013-2015]
[2011]
Alzheimer's Disease Research Postdoctoral Fellowship
Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases (CAND) Scholar
Dean’s Fellowship
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
BrightFocus Foundation, PI
BCM
MCGSBS
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Honors & Awards
[2023]
[2022]
[2022]
[2017]
[2017]
[2013]
Dean’s Award of Excellence
Research Award
Excellence in Research Award
Predoctoral Travel Award
Best Poster Award
Conference Scholarship
School of Biomedical Sciences, BCM
KSEA West Gulf Coast Regional Conference
KSEA Texas Biomedical Trainee Symposium
MCGSBS
MCGSBS Annual Student Research Symposium
Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine
Invited Talks
[2024]
[2024]
[2023]
[2022]
[2022]
[2022]
[2020]
Weill Cornell Medicine Emerging Leaders in Neuroscience Seminar Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology Symposium Neurological Research Institute Seminar Series
Korea Brain Research Institute Seminar
Cross-Disciplinary Alzheimer’s Disease Research Symposium Neurological Research Institute Seminar Series
Alzheimer’s Disease Trainee Happy Hour Webinar Series
New York, NY USA
Daejeon, South Korea
Houston, TX, USA
Daegu, South Korea
Houston, TX, USA
Houston, TX, USA
Virtual
Selected Talks
[2024]
[2024]
[2023]
[2022]
[2022]
[2022]
Symposium for Postdoctoral Initiatives in Neuroscience Excellence Biennial Meeting of Int’l Society for Molecular Neurodegeneration Charleston Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease
Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience
Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 06/2022 KSEA Texas Biomedical Trainee Symposium
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Seoul, South Korea
Charleston, SC, USA
San Diego, CA, USA
San Diego, CA, USA
Houston, TX, USA
Poster Presentation
[2024]
[2024]
[2023]
[2023]
[2023]
[2022]
[2022]
[2018]
[2017]
[2017]
[2015]
[2014]
Greater Houston Area AD Research Symposium
Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience
HHMI Science Meeting
KSEA West Gulf Coast Regional Conference
Keystone Symposium on Neurodegeneration
BCM Molecular & Human Genetics Retreat
Tau Global Conference
Keystone Symposium on Neurodegeneration
Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience
Mayo Graduate School Research Symposium
National Korean-American Young Generation Conference
Mayo Graduate School Research Symposium
Houston, TX, USA
Chicago, IL, USA
Chevy Chase, MD, USA
Houston, TX, USA
Whistler, BC, Canada
Galveston, TX, USA
Virtual
Keystone, CO, USA
Washington D.C., USA
Rochester, MN, USA
Orlando, FL, USA
Rochester, MN, USA
Outreach & Other Service
[2024]
[2023-2024]
[2023-2024]
[2023]
[2022-2023]
[2022, 2025]
[2022]
[2020]
[2020]
[2019-2022]
[2019]
[2019-Present]
[2016-2019]
[2015-2016]
[2014-2015]
Speaker at the KSEA Webinar Series
Organizer for the BCM Seminars for Postdocs Advancing Inclusion (SPAI)
Judge at the Science & Engineering Fair Houston (SEFH)
Panelist at the KSEA Young Generation Forum
Speaker at the Rice University Alzheimer’s Buddies Symposium
Judge at the Baylor College of Medicine Graduate Student Symposium
Judge at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Students (ABRCMS)
Host of the Alzheimer’s Disease Trainee Happy Hour Webinar Series
Moderator for the Open Box Science Online Symposium
Writer for BrainPost: https://www.brainpost.co/about-brainpost
Guest writer for eNeuro Blog: https://blog.eneuro.org/
Ad-hoc peer-reviewer for Molecular Neurodegeneration, Science Advances, etc.
Board member at the Mayo Clinic Women in Science and Engineering Research (WiSER)
Representative for the Neuroscience PhD Program at the Mayo Graduate School Association
Representative for the Florida Campus at the Mayo Graduate School Association