So Hae (Irene) Park
Ann Arbor
“After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved, science and art tend to coalesce in esthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists are always artists as well.” -Albert Einstein
I am currently a third-year PhD student in the Department of Human Genetics at University of Michigan. My thesis project focuses on the role of transcription, which is a process in the cell that makes proteins, in human diseases that are known to occur because of errors in synthesizing the DNA. Such diseases include cancer, autism, and schizophrenia.
I also did science research as an undergrad at Cornell University. I analyzed how and when two RNAs (called spf and p16) were produced in a plant pathogen called Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. The pathogen isn't harmful to humans, but affects many crops like tomato plants and tobacco plants.
You can see the list of my science publications here.
Outside lab, I work for The Michigan Daily, a student-run newspaper at University of Michigan, as a news staff reporter and an assistant news manager. I am exploring my "artistic" side as well as career options with writing, and I am noticing many similarities between writing and doing science. Check out my news articles here!
Outside of science research and journalism, I spend my time writing some more as a graduate student blogger at my university (check out my blogs here), trying new cuisine, cooking, watching movies, reading, and traveling when I have the money and the time.