Dr. Jai Yoon Sul

Biography

Jai-yoon Sul is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on manipulating biological molecules to elucidate their function in physiological and pathophysiological states of the mouse brain using advanced optical imaging techniques. Recent advancements in biomedical fields such as genomics and connectomics necessitate high-resolution imaging to record physiological activities at the single-cell level in intact tissues. Dr. Sul employs both single-photon and multiphoton lasers along with various microscopy techniques, including epifluorescence and confocal microscopy, to achieve minimal invasive imaging and manipulation of biological activities both in vitro and in vivo. His work on understanding brain function is underscored by close examinations of dendrites and neuronal signals, and he aims to characterize neuronal function through systematic imaging and molecular techniques. Collaboration with the pharmacology department has led to novel methods for understanding cellular phenotypes, directly converting neuronal cells into specific cell types. His efforts are focused on elucidating the roles of transcription factors like Elk-1 in neuronal cell death and their potential implications in human neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's.

Research Interests