Hello, Doctor. Could you please introduce yourself?

I completed my Ph.D. in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in 2021, and I am currently working at the National BioResource Information Center (KOBIC) at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB). During my graduate studies, I focused on bioinformatics with a foundation in mathematics and statistics. Building on that, I am now conducting bio-data analysis and research at KOBIC. I feel a great sense of accomplishment working at KOBIC, contributing to the national bio-data infrastructure.

Is there a particular reason you chose GIST?

Looking back, I don't have a clear memory of why I chose GIST, but I remember that the educational environment and research support systems were excellent. The research environment was well-equipped, allowing me to focus on my work, and once I enrolled, I had many opportunities to interact with experts from various fields. If I were to go back, I would make better use of this great environment. I believe my experience at GIST played a significant role in shaping who I am today. Even though I didn’t have a clear and specific reason for choosing GIST at the time, looking back now, I think it was a great decision.

You majored in mathematics in your undergraduate studies. Was there a particular reason you decided to pursue bioinformatics within the Electrical and Computer Engineering field?

During my undergraduate years, I majored in mathematics and eventually sought to apply it more intuitively. This led me to shift towards the field of computer science. I debated between physics and computer science, but I felt that computer engineering was a better fit. Bioinformatics, in particular, is a field where computer science and biology are closely intertwined. 

My interest in bioinformatics was significantly influenced by my advisor. I started working in the lab, and through that experience, I naturally grew fond of the field. In high school, I had considered life sciences to be a subject mainly for memorization and chose not to pursue it (laughs). However, as I studied life sciences in graduate school, I was captivated by the numerous unresolved questions and the complexity of biology. The unpredictable and challenging nature of biology, which is difficult to model or compute, fascinated me even more. 

Although AI technology has advanced rapidly, biology is still a challenging area to integrate AI with due to the vast amount of data and difficult-to-predict phenomena. This makes the field even more appealing to me, and I am continuously working to approach it with the appropriate engineering mindset.

What kind of research have you primarily conducted?

I have mainly been involved in bioinformatics research based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. NGS data is not just important for genomic analysis; it plays a crucial role in handling various biological information. I have worked on research that uses subtyping of samples to analyze disease characteristics and progression in more detail, and also developed disease prediction models based on this data.

How did you manage stress during your research process?

I’ve had many moments of stress during my research, but honestly, I don’t remember them too clearly. It wasn’t so much the stress itself, but rather finding ways to relax and take breaks outside of research when I had the time. On weekends, I would usually spend time exercising or going for walks. I enjoy baseball, so I would often play or have a light catch, which helped alleviate stress. Of course, I also played a lot of computer games. These small activities, unrelated to my research, provided me with comfort and mental recharging.

Was there a specific reason you aspired to work at a government-funded research institute (such as KRIBB)?

Since my graduate school years, I had gained experience working with bioinformatics and analyzing various types of biological data. I realized the importance of bio-data research and the role government-funded research institutes play in supporting the infrastructure for such research. I chose to join KRIBB because I wanted to continue working in the field of bio-data research. At KOBIC, the institution I belong to, we support national efforts in bio-data collection, management, and research. Here, I am continuing my work with omics data such as genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics.

What kind of research are you currently working on?

At KOBIC, I am involved in the collection, management, and research support related to national bio-data. Building on the research experiences I had during my graduate studies, I am currently analyzing data related to genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics based on NGS data. Specifically, I am conducting research on analyzing human genome variations using long-read sequencing technologies. I hope that these studies will help improve our understanding of genome information and contribute to personalized medicine research.

Was there a particular experience during your research that gave you a sense of accomplishment?

At the beginning of my graduate studies, I faced many challenges in setting the direction for my research and solving problems. Research involves a lot of independent work, and especially when starting out, there are many things you don’t know, which can lead to frustration. However, as time passed and I accumulated more knowledge in my research area, I gradually started to feel a sense of accomplishment.

In fact, I found the most fulfillment not in individual research but in collaborating with others. Having discussions with people I didn’t know, publishing papers together, and presenting at conferences was incredibly rewarding. While individual publications are great, I believe that collaborating with researchers from different fields is both fun and fulfilling.

Do you have any advice for undergraduate or graduate students?

There will always be people who seem smarter than you, and times when it feels difficult to meet the expectations of professors. You may face situations where a topic you’re working on has already been tackled or done better by others, which can lead to frustration. At such times, it can feel like your research is insignificant. I once came across a quote that says, even in the face of these challenges, what’s important is that your research is contributing to the knowledge of the world, no matter how small. Even if it feels trivial, our research is making an important contribution, and the knowledge we accumulate is expanding the world’s understanding, even if it’s just by 1 cm. If you’ve already decided to pursue graduate studies and research, I encourage you to embrace the journey and take on challenges without regret.

What are your future goals?

At KOBIC, I am currently participating in several national projects, particularly those related to bio-data collection and infrastructure development, which I believe will lead to significant changes in the bio field. Especially at this moment, with the transition to digital biology and the rapid progress of AI-based research, the importance of refined bio-data analysis is growing. To contribute to this, I plan to continue working on government-funded projects, strengthening my own capabilities, and advancing research based on large-scale Korean genomic data.