Dr. Betty Chung

Biography

Betty Chung is a researcher in the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on translation control, protein synthesis, RNA structural dynamics, and host-pathogen interactions. She completed her undergraduate studies in Biochemistry at the University of Otago in New Zealand and pursued a PhD in Biochemistry at University College Cork, where she elucidated non-canonical gene expression mechanisms in RNA viruses. Upon receiving Long-Term EMBO and Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships, she joined the Baulcombe Lab at the University of Cambridge, where she studied miRNA-mediated translational regulation using Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model organism. Following the establishment of her research group at the Department of Pathology, her work now aims to understand molecular mechanisms of gene expression at the host-pathogen interface, focusing on pathways within animal and plant kingdoms and various pathogens. Recent investigations include the translational induction of sentinel cells in response to osmotic changes and the identification of novel translation mechanisms utilized by pathogenic bacteria, contributing to a deeper understanding of how living organisms adapt to biotic stresses. Chung's research ultimately seeks to leverage these molecular discoveries for biotechnological applications to combat pathogen infections and address challenges posed by climate change.

Research Interests