Conducting neuroscience research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has allowed me to explore neurodegeneration from both experimental and molecular perspectives.

Through multiple research periods, I gained hands-on experience with cell culture, transfection, Parkinson’s disease mouse behavioral testing, parabiosis, viral transfection, and Western blotting while investigating cellular stress, circadian rhythm, and neurodegenerative processes.

Alongside my laboratory work, I co-authored a review examining the cGAS–STING pathway as an emerging mechanism of neuroinflammation in dementia. The paper explores how abnormal cytosolic DNA sensing can activate inflammatory signaling, promote microglial responses, and contribute to neuronal damage across neurodegenerative diseases. It also considers the pathway’s potential as a therapeutic target for reducing chronic neuroinflammation.

Published in Brain Sciences in 2025, the project expanded my understanding of how molecular signaling, immune responses, and cellular dysfunction intersect in the progression of dementia and related neurological disorders.