X-ray Science, Biophysical Science, Biomedical Science: X-ray Diffraction, Protein Structures and Functions, X-ray Imaging of Biological Assemblies.
Biophysical study on protein function and dynamics
Protein crystals used in X-ray protein crystallography have properties that distinguish them from typical inorganic crystals. An important difference is that protein crystals contain internal water, typically comprising 40 to 60 % of the volume of the crystal. This internal water forms solvent channels inside protein crystals and fills the significant void volume between the folded protein molecules that compose the crystal. We investigate the protein-water interactions inside protein crystals using X-ray diffraction. The results will be helpful to understand the physical origin of protein dynamics in relation to water-protein interactions.
Biographical Sketch
Academic Career
2018~Present: Associate Professor, UNIST
Assistant Professor (2014 – 2017)
Staff Scientist, Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) (2009-2014)
MacCHESS at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University Postdoctoral Associate (2008)
MacCHESS at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University Supervised by Dr. Sol M. Gruner and Dr. Richard A. Cerione
Education
Ph.D. in Biophysics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (2002 – 2008)
High Pressure Cryocooling for Macromolecular Crystallography (Dr. Sol M. Gruner, advisor)
B.S in Physics, Seoul National University, South Korea (1995 – 1999)
Summa Cum Laude (Ranked No.1 in physics department)
Selected Publications
"Conformational Flexibility of His200 Enables Catalytic Activity in the T200H Mutant of Carbonic Anhydrase II", Mol. Cells 48(7):100226 (2025).
"Fast product release requires active-site water dynamics in carbonic anhydrase", Nature Comm. 16:4404 (2025).
"Hidden route of protein damage through oxygen-confined photooxidation", Nature Comm. 15:10873 (2024).
"Type-II red phosphorus: wavy packing of twisted pentagonal tubes", Angew. Chem. 62, e202307102 (2023).
"Creating tunable mesoporosity by temperature-driven localized crystallite agglomeration", Small 2107006,1-8 (2022).
"Elucidating the role of metal ions in carbonic anhydrase catalysis", Nature Comm. 11:4557 (2020).
"Direct imaging of structural disordering and heterogeneous dynamics of fullerene molecular liquid", Nature Comm. 10:4395 (2019).
"Tracking solvent and protein movement during CO2 release in carbonic anhydrase II crystals", PNAS. USA113, 5257–5262 (2016).
"Glass-to-cryogenic-liquid transitions in aqueous solutions suggested by crack healing", PNAS. USA112, 11765-11770 (2015).