Changjoon Justin Lee

Changjoon Justin Lee is an American neuroscientist specializing in the field of glioscience. He served as the Director of Center for Neuroscience at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology and later founded the WCI Center for Functional Connectomics as part of the World Class Institute Program. In 2015, he established the Center for Glia-Neuron Interaction before becoming co-director of the IBS Center for Cognition and Sociality and head of the Cognitive Glioscience Group in 2018. He has been on the editorial boards of the journals Molecular Brain and Molecular Pain and is a chief editor of Experimental Neurobiology.

Changjoon Justin Lee
Born(1966-03-21)March 21, 1966
Gimpo, South Korea
Alma materColumbia University, University of Chicago
Known forGABA and glia research
AwardsScience Day 2017 (2017), Kyung-Ahm Prize (2016), FILA Basic Science Award (2014), Scientist of the Year Award (KIST, 2011)
Scientific career
FieldsIon channel, neuron-glia interaction, astrocyte pathophysiology, cognitive glioscience, glioblastoma
InstitutionsInstitute for Basic Science, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Emory University, Michael Reese Hospital, Columbia University
ThesisThe Expression and Function of Kainate and AMPA Receptors in Nociceptive Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons (2001)
Doctoral advisorAmy B. MacDermott
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationLee Changjun
McCune–ReischauerLee Ch'angchun
WebsiteCenter for Cognition and Sociality – Cognitive Glioscience Group

Early life and education

Born in a rural area of Gimpo City, Lee interacted with the natural world and raised livestock at home which inspired an interest in biology.[1] After completion of middle school, he left South Korea and moved to the US at age 15 and started high school at Rich Central High School, Olympia Fields, Illinois. While under an Illinois State Scholarship[2] and working as a junior research assistant in the lab of Professor Louis Seiden, Lee majored in chemistry and obtained his B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1990. He then moved to New York where he enrolled in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Columbia University where he earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in neurophysiology under the Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics. His doctoral thesis adviser was Professor Amy B. MacDermott, whose lab he worked in as a research technician and later as a graduate research assistant upon recipient of his M.S.

Before the first year of his joint M.S. and Ph.D. study, he worked as a research assistant in Emily Foster's lab at Michael Reese Hospital. Within Columbia University, he was also a research technician in Professor Martin Low's lab.

Career

He then completed a three-year postdoc position in the lab of Professor Traynelis at Emory University in the Department of Pharmacology. His sponsor was Dr. Stephen Traynelis and his research scope was the modulation of NMDA receptors by protease-activated receptors.[3] During the postdoc position, he visited the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and was influenced by Shin Hee-sup to join KIST,[1] which he did in 2004 as a senior research scientist. Working at KIST, he became a principle research scientist in 2010 and later a tenured research scientist in 2017.

Lee participated in establishing brain science research infrastructure at KIST, first as a founding member of the Center for Neuroscience with director Shin Hee-sup. The Center is now a constituent of KIST's Brain Science Institute. He also helped to establish the Neuroscience Program of the University of Science and Technology (UST). He also participated as a founding faculty of KU-KIST School of Convergence Technology. As a part of World Class Institute program (WCI), he founded the WCI Center for Functional Connectomics in 2009[4] and served as the organizing deputy director of the center.[5][6][7]

In November 2018, Lee joined the IBS Center for Cognition and Sociality as a co-director with Shin Hee-sup, who he had previously met and worked with at KIST. Shin led the Social Neuroscience Group until his retirement in 2020[8][9] while Lee leads the Cognitive Glioscience Group which focuses on four research areas: molecular glioscience, glia-neuron interaction, glial plasticity and cognition, and gliopathy.[10]

GABA synthesis and release from glia

Lee's research group has contributed to the field of gliotransmission by creating several seminal publications on the channel-mediated gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate release from astrocytes.[11][12] They later identified the biosynthetic pathway for astrocyte GABA and found monoamine oxidase B to be the key enzyme for GABA production[13] which raised the possibility that astrocytes can directly participate in cognitive processes via astrocytic GABA.[14]

His team also found a connection with GABA from reactive astrocytes and impaired memory in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, leading them to propose astrocytic GABA might be a diagnostic tool, biomarker, and therapeutic target for both neurological diseases Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.[15] The research is notable as it revealed that astrocytes, like neurons, play a significant role in cognitive processes.[16] The findings also resulted in a technology transfer to MegaBioWood[17] which will be prepared for a phase I clinical trial in 2019.[18] In response to his Alzheimer's research related to causes of memory loss, Lee received the Science Day 2017 Presidential Medal of Honor.[19][20]

Molecular mechanism of glutamate and d-serine release from glia

It is known that glutamate is released from astrocytes but the exact method of their release, i.e., the release mechanism, has been controversial.[21] His team went on to discover two models of glutamate release; a fast mode through TREK-1 in the K2P channel[22] and a slow mode through the Best1 channel in hippocampal astrocytes.[12] They found that Best1-controlled glutamate release is related to receptor mediated synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus when PAR1 is activated.[23] These papers also show that the key modulator for excitation-inhibition balance in the brain is mainly dependent on the levels of glutamate and GABA. In addition to glutamate, Best1 can also release d-serine, which can act as a co-agonist of NMDA receptors to participate in synaptic plasticity.[24]

Astrocytic volume transient and brain plasticity

Some of his glioscience-related research has been with identifying and characterizing several astrocytic ion channels. His teams learned that the astrocytic two-pore potassium channel K2P has a passive conductance with a subunit composition of a heterodimer of TWIK-1 and TREK-1.[22] They also put forth the proposal that the heterodimer of TWIK-1 and TREK-1 could be a potential therapeutic target for epilepsy, depression, and anxiety disorders caused by concentrations of potassium ion.[25] The team found that the astrocytic volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) is tweety-homolog (Ttyh),[26] which is notable as VRAC was proposed to be leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 8 (LRRC8).[27] Lee's research also showed that the astrocytic volume change through aquaporin-4 water channel is critical for synaptic plasticity. They demonstrated that a change in the volume can directly affect spatial memory in mice, meanwhile it affects memory and language-association learning in humans.[26]

Reactive gliosis and neurodegeneration

Reactive gliosis has often referred to as the basis for neuroinflammation, which has implicated them in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases[28][29][30] but their in vivo functions have not been fully tested due to the lack of an appropriate experimental model. When Lee's team developed an astrocyte-specific toxin receptor model, they found that the astrocytes selectively became reactive, which identifies severe reactive astrocytes as a key factor in Alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration.[31]

Software development

Lee has been involved in the development of several research-related software projects, including Mini Analysis and Easy Articles, both distributed by Synaptosoft.[32] His nervous system research software was the reason Lee was scouted by Shin Hee-sup to conduct research in Korea.[33]

Honors and awards
  • 2020: Korea's Top 5 Bio-Field Research Results and News, POSTECH Biological Research Information Center[34][35]
  • 2017: Science Day 2017, Korea Science & Technology Development Presidential Medal of Honor[19][20]
  • 2016: Kyung-Ahm Prize, Kyung-Ahm Education & Cultural Foundation[36][37]
  • 2014: FILA Basic Science Award, Korean Academy of Science and Technology[38][39][40]
  • 2014: Jang Jin Award, Korean Society for Brain and Neuroscience[41][42]
  • 2013: Dec. Star Professor Award, University of Science & Technology[43][44][45]
  • 2013: Aug. Outstanding Mentor Award, University of Science & Technology
  • 2012: Dec. Best Mentor Award, University of Science & Technology[46][47]
  • 2011: Jun. Best Mentor Award, University of Science & Technology[48]
  • 2011: Jun. Outstanding Mentor Award, University of Science & Technology[48]
  • 2011: Scientist of the Year Award, KIST
  • 2011: 100 Leaders in Korea, The Dong-a Ilbo[49]
  • 2011: Outstanding Research Team Award, KIST
  • 2010: Outstanding Researcher Award, Prime Minister of Korea
  • 2010: Dec. Scientist of the Month Award, Korean Ministry of Science & Technology
  • 2010: Dec. Scientist of the Month Award, KIST
  • 2009: Outstanding Project Award, KIST
  • 2009: Jun. Outstanding Teacher Award, University of Science & Technology
  • 2009: May Outstanding Mentor Award, University of Science & Technology
  • 2009: Feb. Outstanding Researcher Award, KIST
  • 2003: Outstanding Researcher Award, Association of Korean Neuroscientists
  • 2000: Outstanding Researcher Award, Association of Korean Neuroscientists

Scientific society
  • 2016: President of Korean Neuroglia Society[50]
  • 2016: General Secretary of Korean Society for Brain and Neural Sciences
  • 2015: Secretariat of Korean Society for Brain and Neural Sciences[51]
  • 1996: Member of Society for Neuroscience
  • 1985: National Honors Society

Journal editing

See also

References
  1. 김, 지영 (12 December 2016). "대세 거스른 과학자 "뭘 해도 10년은 해야 하더라"". HelloDD (in Korean). Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  2. "Speakers: On Tonic GABA and Glia-Neuron Interaction". DGIF. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  3. Speaker C. Justin Lee (PDF). The 10th Asia Spine; A Joint Meeting with the 33rd Annual Meeting of the KSNS. Seoul Dragon City, Seoul, Korea. 19–21 September 2019. p. 1. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  4. "Center for Functional Connectomics: Introduction". Korea Institute of Science and Technology. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  5. 김, 혜민 (27 November 2014). "제 13회 한국과학기술한림원상 시상식 개최". 파이낸셜뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  6. 이, 준혁 (6 October 2014). "노벨의학상에 모서 부부 등 3명". 한국경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  7. 임, 솔 (6 October 2014). "뇌안의 GPS 원리를 밝히다…올해 노벨의학상에 오키프·모세르부부(종합)". Chosun Biz (in Korean). Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  8. 박윤균 (23 December 2020). "'국가과학자 1호' 신희섭박사, 연구현장 떠나". MK 증권 (in Korean). Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  9. 류준영 (23 December 2020). "떠나는 IBS 1호 연구단장 신희섭…국내 최초로 뇌과학에 유전학 도입". MT (in Korean). Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  10. "Dr. LEE Changjoon Justin Appointed as Co-director of the Center for Cognition and Sociality". Institute for Basic Science. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  11. Lee, Soojung; Yoon, Bo-Eun; Berglund, Ken; Oh, Soo-Jin; Park, Hyungju; Shin, Hee-Sup; Augustine, George J.; Lee, C. Justin (5 November 2010). "Channel-Mediated Tonic GABA Release from Glia". Science. 330 (6005): 790–796. Bibcode:2010Sci...330..790L. doi:10.1126/science.1184334. PMID 20929730. S2CID 39820740.
  12. Woo, Dong Ho; Han, Kyung-Seok; Shim, Jae Wan; Yoon, Bo-Eun; Kim, Eunju; Bae, Jin Young; Oh, Soo-Jin; Hwang, Eun Mi; Marmorstein, Alan D.; Bae, Yong Chul; Park, Jae-Yong; Lee, C. Justin (28 September 2012). "TREK-1 and Best1 channels mediate fast and slow glutamate release in astrocytes upon GPCR activation". Cell. 151 (1): 25–40. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2012.09.005. PMID 23021213.
  13. Yoon, Bo‐Eun; Woo, Junsung; Chun, Ye‐Eun; Chun, Heejung; Jo, Seonmi; Bae, Jin Young; An, Heeyoung; Min, Joo Ok; Oh, Soo‐Jin; Han, Kyung‐Seok; Kim, Hye Yun; Kim, Taekeun; Kim, Young Soo; Bae, Yong Chul; Lee, C. Justin (15 November 2014). "Glial GABA, synthesized by monoamine oxidase B, mediates tonic inhibition". The Journal of Physiology. 595 (22): 4951–4968. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2014.278754. PMC 4259537. PMID 25239459.
  14. Yoon, Bo-Eun; Jo, Seonmi; Woo, Junsung; Lee, Jae-Hoon; Kim, Taekeun; Kim, Daesoo; Lee, C. Justin (22 November 2011). "The amount of astrocytic GABA positively correlates with the degree of tonic inhibition in hippocampal CA1 and cerebellum". Molecular Brain. 4 (1): 42. doi:10.1186/1756-6606-4-42. PMC 3253681. PMID 22107761.
  15. Jo, Seonmi; Yarishkin, Oleg; Hwang, Yu Jin; Chun, Ye Eun; Park, Mijeong; Woo, Dong Ho; Bae, Jin Young; Kim, Taekeun; Lee, Jaekwang; Chun, Heejung; Park, Hyun Jung; Lee, Da Yong; Hong, Jinpyo; Kim, Hye Yun; Oh, Soo-Jin; Park, Seung Ju; Lee, Hyo; Yoon, Bo-Eun; Kim, YoungSoo; Jeong, Yong; Shim, Insop; Bae, Yong Chul; Cho, Jeiwon; Kowall, Neil W.; Ryu, Hoon; Hwang, Eunmi; Kim, Daesoo; Lee, C. Justin (29 June 2014). "GABA from reactive astrocytes impairs memory in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease". Nature Medicine. 20 (8): 886–896. doi:10.1038/nm.3639. PMC 8385452. PMID 24973918. S2CID 35640377.
  16. "Dr. LEE Changjoon Justin Appointed as Co-director of the Center for Cognition and Sociality". Institute for Basic Science. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  17. "Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Develops a New Drug for Alzheimer's Disease". PR Newswire Association LLC. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  18. "Novel Alzheimer's Disease Candidate Developed by Megabiowood Pending for Clinical Trials at Post Year". Kobiz Media Co., Ltd. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  19. 송, 준영 (23 April 2017). "[과학·정보통신의 날]과학기술 유공자…나노·식품 등 각 분야서 9명 포장 수상". Etnews (in Korean). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  20. "[표] 2017년 과학·정보통신의 날 기념식 정부포상 수상자". 매일결제 (in Korean). 21 April 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  21. Rossi, David J.; Oshima, Takeo; Attwell, David (20 January 2000). "Glutamate release in severe brain ischaemia is mainly by reversed uptake". Nature. 403 (6767): 316–321. Bibcode:2000Natur.403..316R. doi:10.1038/35002090. PMID 10659851. S2CID 4388675. The release of glutamate during brain anoxia or ischaemia triggers the death of neurons, causing mental or physical handicap. The mechanism of glutamate release is controversial, however.
  22. Woo, Dong Ho; Bae, Jin Young; Nam, Min-Ho; An, Heeyoung; Ju, Yeon Ha; Won, Joungha; Choi, Jae Hyouk; Hwang, Eun Mi; Han, Kyung-Seok; Bae, Yong Chul; Lee, C. Justin (27 September 2018). "Activation of astrocytic μ-opioid receptor elicits fast glutamate release through TREK-1-containing K2P channel in hippocampal astrocytes". Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. Frontiers. 12 (319): 319. doi:10.3389/fncel.2018.00319. PMC 6170663. PMID 30319359.
  23. Oh, Soo-Jin; Han, Kyung-Seok; Park, Hyungju; Woo, Dong ho; Kim, Hye Yun; Traynelis, Stephen F.; Lee, C. Justin (12 October 2012). "Protease activated receptor 1-induced glutamate release in cultured astrocytes is mediated by Bestrophin-1 channel but not by vesicular exocytosis". Molecular Brain. 5 (1): 38. doi:10.1186/1756-6606-5-38. PMC 3539998. PMID 23062602.
  24. Park, Hyungju; Han, Kyung-Seok; Seo, Jinsoo; Lee, Jaekwang; Dravid, Shashank M.; Woo, Junsung; Chun, Heejung; Cho, Sukhee; Bae, Jin Young; An, Heeyoung; Koh, Woohyun; Yoon, Bo-Eun; Berlinguer-Palmini, Rolando; Mannaioni, Guido; Traynelis, Stephen F.; Bae, Yong Chul; Choi, Se-Young; Lee, C. Justin (December 2015). "Channel-mediated astrocytic glutamate modulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity by activating postsynaptic NMDA receptors". Molecular Brain. BioMed Central. 8 (1): 7. doi:10.1186/s13041-015-0097-y. PMC 4320468. PMID 25645137.
  25. Hwang, Eun Mi; Kim, Eunju; Yarishkin, Oleg; Woo, Dong Ho; Han, Kyung-Seok; Park, Nammi; Bae, Yeonju; Woo, Junsung; Kim, Donggyu; Park, Myeongki; Lee, C. Justin; Park, Jae-Yong (5 February 2014). "A disulphide-linked heterodimer of TWIK-1 and TREK-1 mediates passive conductance in astrocytes". Nature Communications. Nature Publishing Group. 5 (1): 3227. Bibcode:2014NatCo...5.3227M. doi:10.1038/ncomms4227. PMID 24496152.
  26. Han, Young-Eun; Kwon, Jea; Won, Joungha; An, Heeyoung; Jang, Minwoo Wendy; Woo, Junsung; Lee, Je Sun; Park, Min Gu; Yoon, Bo-Eun; Lee, Seung Eun; Hwang, Eun Mi; Jung, Jae-Young; Park, Hyungju; Oh, Soo-Jin; Lee, C. Justin (1 April 2019). "Tweety-homolog (Ttyh) family encodes the pore-forming subunits of the swelling-dependent volume-regulated anion channel (VRACswell) in the brain". Experimental Neurobiology. 28 (2): 183–215. doi:10.5607/en.2019.28.2.183. PMC 6526117. PMID 31138989.
  27. Voss, Felizia K.; Ullrich, Florian; Münch, Jonas; Lazarow, Katina; Lutter, Darius; Mah, Nancy; Andrade-Navarro, Miguel A.; von Kries, Jens P.; Stauber, Tobias; Jentsch, Thomas J. (9 May 2014). "Identification of LRRC8 Heteromers as an Essential Component of the Volume-Regulated Anion Channel VRAC" (PDF). Science. 344 (6184): 634–638. Bibcode:2014Sci...344..634V. doi:10.1126/science.1252826. PMID 24790029. S2CID 24709412.
  28. Członkowska, Anna; Kurkowska-Jastrzębska, Iwona (February 2011). "Inflammation and gliosis in neurological diseases – clinical implications". Journal of Neuroimmunology. 231 (1–2): 78–85. doi:10.1016/j.jneuroim.2010.09.020. PMID 20943275. S2CID 38037635.
  29. Xu, H.; Zhang, S. L.; Tan, G. W.; Zhu, H. W.; Huang, C. Q.; Zhang, Z. Z.; Wang, Z. X. (30 August 2012). "Reactive gliosis and neuroinflammation in rats with communicating hydrocephalus". Neuroscience. 218: 317–325. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.05.004. PMID 22583796. S2CID 9642591.
  30. Bronzuoli, Maria Rosanna; Iacomino, Aniello; Steardo, Luca; Scuderi, Caterina (3 November 2016). "Targeting neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease". J Inflamm Res. 9: 199–208. doi:10.2147/JIR.S86958. PMC 5098782. PMID 27843334.
  31. Chun, Heejung; An, Heeyoung; Lim, Jiwoon; Woo, Junsung; Lee, Jaekwang; Ryu, Hoon; Lee, C. Justin (1 June 2018). "Astrocytic proBDNF and tonic GABA distinguish active versus reactive astrocytes in hippocampus". Experimental Neurobiology. 27 (3): 155–170. doi:10.5607/en.2018.27.3.155. PMC 6050417. PMID 30022867.
  32. "Easy Articles". Cognitive Glioscience Group of Center for Cognition and Sociality. Institute for Basic Science. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  33. "From advisor and advisee to fellow directors: Exploring the mysteries of the brain". Institute for Basic Science. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  34. 길애경 (27 December 2020). "연구자 1325명이 선정한 올해 바이오 성과 TOP5". 헬로디디 (in Korean). Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  35. "2020 국내 바이오분야 연구성과 및 뉴스 TOP5". POSTECH Biological Research Information Center (BRIC) (in Korean). 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  36. "12th Kyung-Ahm Prize Laureates (2016)". Kyung-Ahm Education & Cultural Foundation. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  37. 서, 하나 (31 October 2018). "이창준 KIST 단장, 기초과학연구원 인지 및 사회성 연구단 공동 연구단장 선임". 아주경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  38. "이창준 연구인 수상내역". Naver 인물검색 (in Korean). Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  39. "윤윤수 휠라 회장, 한림원 명예회원 위촉". Asia Today (in Korean). 1 December 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  40. 이, 승현 (28 November 2014). "권익찬 KIST 연구원, 과학기술한림원 학술상 수상". Edaily (in Korean). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  41. "이창준 KIST 교수 '장진 학술상'". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 10 November 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  42. 서, 하나 (31 October 2018). "이창준 KIST 단장, 기초과학연구원 인지 및 사회성 연구단 공동 연구단장 선임". 아주경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  43. "Editorial Board". Experimental Neurobiology. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  44. "UST 스타교수에 이창준 교수". Naver (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 22 December 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  45. 지, 명훈 (24 December 2013). "[대전/충남]UST '스타교수' 첫 선정". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  46. 이, 준기 (20 December 2012). "이창준 교수 '최우수교수상' UST, 우수교원 표창식". 디지털타임스 (in Korean). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  47. "[사이언스 브리핑]국립과천과학관 外". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 21 December 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  48. 안, 경애 (29 June 2011). "UST, 연구성과 우수 학생ㆍ지도교수 표창". 디지털타임스 (in Korean). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  49. "10년 뒤 한국을 빛낼 100인". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  50. "치매치료제, 기존 약물의 한계를 극복할 치료약물 개발". Nobel Science 노벨사이언스 (in Korean). 26 March 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  51. "2015 한국뇌신경과학회 정기학술대회 심포지엄 공모안내". Korea National Institute for Bioethics Policy (in Korean). 13 March 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  52. Mei, Lin; Cho, Kei; Lee, Changjoon Justin; Li, Xiao-Jiang; Zhuo, Min; Kaang, Bong-Kiun (17 June 2008). "Welcome to Molecular Brain". Molecular Brain. 1 (1): 1–2. doi:10.1186/1756-6606-1-1. PMC 2491439. PMID 18803854.
  53. "Editorial Board". Molecular Brain. Biomedical Central (Springer Nature). Archived from the original on 17 January 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  54. "Editorial Board". Molecular Pain. SAGE Publishing. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.