Dr. Hyung Ryoo

Biography

Hyung Don Ryoo is a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and the Department of Ophthalmology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. His laboratory focuses on understanding how metazoan cells adapt to stress conditions and how these adaptations contribute to human diseases. He employs genetic and cell biological tools using the Drosophila model system to investigate various types of stress response signaling pathways, particularly the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). This involves examining the gene expression regulatory pathways activated by misfolded protein overload in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). His research group has established both physiological and pathological relevance of stress response mechanisms in vivo, especially within the context of diseases such as Retinitis Pigmentosa, caused by mutant rhodopsins that lead to age-related loss of photoreceptors. They have demonstrated that rhodopsin misfolding in the ER is a contributing factor to retinal degeneration and that UPR pathways are essential for resolving physiological and pathological stresses in specific cell types. He holds a PhD from Columbia University and has completed postdoctoral training at Rockefeller University.

Research Interests

Experience