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Ha-Jung Park

Kyung Hee University · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

About the Lab

Professor Ha-Jung Park's research lab focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders, with a particular emphasis on the roles of cellular stress responses, ion transporters, and gut-brain axis regulation. The lab investigates how disruptions in pH homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and gut microbiota alterations contribute to neuropsychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and stress-related disorders. Key research directions include the function of sodium-bicarbonate cotransporters in brain pH regulation, the impact of early-life stress on neuroinflammation and tryptophan metabolism, and the neuroprotective effects of molecules like melatonin and TRBP in modulating immune and apoptotic pathways. The lab employs a multidisciplinary approach integrating molecular biology, cDNA microarray, RT-PCR, and high-throughput sequencing to dissect disease mechanisms at the gene and protein level.

gut-brain axispH regulationneuropsychiatric disordersmicrobiotamitochondrial dysfunction

Research Overview

Papers
129
Total Citations
2,280
Papers (5y)
11
Primary Field
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
11total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
43total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|218 citations·1994
TAR RNA-binding protein is an inhibitor of the interferon-induced protein kinase PKR.
Hae Jeong Park, Monique V. Davies, J O Langland, H W Chang, Yoon Sung Nam, James Tartaglia, Enzo Paoletti, Barry L. Jacobs, Randal J. Kaufman, Sundararajan Venkatesan
SJR Q1Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesOA

A cDNA encoding a double-stranded-RNA (dsRNA)-binding protein was isolated by screening a HeLa cell cDNA expression library for proteins that bind the HIV-1 Rev-responsive-element RNA. The cDNA encoded a protein that was identical to TRBP, the previously reported cellular protein that binds the transactivation response element (TAR) RNA of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. TRBP inhibited phosphorylation of the interferon-induced ribosome-associated protein kinase PKR and of the eukaryotic tra

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
2
Article|80 citations·2005
Amygdalin inhibits genes related to cell cycle in SNU-C4 human colon cancer cells.
Hae Jeong Park, Seo Hyun Yoon, Long Han, Long Zheng, Kyung Hee Jung, Yoon Kyung Uhm, Je Hyun Lee, Ji Seon Jeong, Woo S. Joo, Sung Vin Yim, Joo Ho Chung, Seon Pyo Hong
PubMed

AIM: The genes were divided into seven categories according to biological function; apoptosis-related, immune response-related, signal transduction-related, cell cycle-related, cell growth-related, stress response-related and transcription-related genes. METHODS: We compared the gene expression profiles of SNU-C4 cells between amygdalin-treated (5 mg/mL, 24 h) and non-treated groups using cDNA microarray analysis. We selected genes downregulated in cDNA microarray and investigated mRNA levels of

Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
3
Article|68 citations·2021
Early-Life Stress Modulates Gut Microbiota and Peripheral and Central Inflammation in a Sex-Dependent Manner
Hae Jeong Park, Sang A. Kim, Won Sub Kang, Jong Woo Kim
SJR Q1International Journal of Molecular SciencesOA

Recent studies have reported that changes in gut microbiota composition could induce neuropsychiatric problems. In this study, we investigated alterations in gut microbiota induced by early-life stress (ELS) in rats subjected to maternal separation (MS; 6 h a day, postnatal days (PNDs) 1–21), along with changes in inflammatory cytokines and tryptophan-kynurenine (TRP-KYN) metabolism, and assessed the differences between sexes. High-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene showed that

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
4
Article|67 citations·2011
Association of Polymorphism in the Promoter of the Melatonin Receptor 1A Gene with Schizophrenia and with Insomnia Symptoms in Schizophrenia Patients
Hae Jeong Park, Jin Kyung Park, Su Kang Kim, Ah-Rang Cho, Jong-Woo Kim, Sung‐Vin Yim, Joo‐Ho Chung
SJR Q1Journal of Molecular Neuroscience
Endocrine and Autonomic SystemsNeuroscience
5
Article|61 citations·2011
Effect of Acupuncture on Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal System in Maternal Separation Rats
Hae Jeong Park, Hi‐Joon Park, Younbyoung Chae, Jong Woo Kim, Hyejung Lee, Joo‐Ho Chung
SJR Q1Cellular and Molecular NeurobiologyOA
Behavioral NeuroscienceNeuroscience
6
Article|46 citations·2010
Neuronal expression of sodium/bicarbonate cotransporter NBCn1 (SLC4A7) and its response to chronic metabolic acidosis
Hae Jeong Park, Ira Rajbhandari, Han Soo Yang, Soojung Lee, Delia Cucoranu, Deborah S. Cooper, Janet D. Klein, Jeff M. Sands, Inyeong Choi
SJR Q1American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology

The sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter NBCn1 (SLC4A7) is an acid-base transporter that normally moves Na(+) and HCO(3)(-) into the cell. This membrane protein is sensitive to cellular and systemic pH changes. We examined NBCn1 expression and localization in the brain and its response to chronic metabolic acidosis. Two new NBCn1 antibodies were generated by immunizing a rabbit and a guinea pig. The antibodies stained neurons in a variety of rat brain regions, including hippocampal pyramidal neurons

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
7
Review|44 citations·2021
Decreased Brain pH and Pathophysiology in Schizophrenia
Hae Jeong Park, Inyeong Choi, Kang‐Hyun Leem
SJR Q1International Journal of Molecular SciencesOA

Postmortem studies reveal that the brain pH in schizophrenia patients is lower than normal. The exact cause of this low pH is unclear, but increased lactate levels due to abnormal energy metabolism appear to be involved. Schizophrenia patients display distinct changes in mitochondria number, morphology, and function, and such changes promote anaerobic glycolysis, elevating lactate levels. pH can affect neuronal activity as H+ binds to numerous proteins in the nervous system and alters the struct

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
8
Article|35 citations·2007
Melatonin inhibits lipopolysaccharide‐induced CC chemokine subfamily gene expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in a microarray analysis
Hae Jeong Park, Hak Jae Kim, Jehyun Ra, Seung‐Jae Hong, Hyung Hwan Baik, Hun‐Kuk Park, Sung Vin Yim, Seong‐Su Nah, Jeong Je Cho, Joo‐Ho Chung
SJR Q1Journal of Pineal Research

Melatonin possesses a number of important biologic activities including oncostatic, anti-oxidant, and immunostimulatory actions. This study was designed to assess the effects of melatonin on inflammation-related gene expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), using CombiMatrix 2K Human Inflammation chip. After pretreatment with melatonin (100 microm) for 4 hr, cells were incubated with LPS (1 microg/mL) for 24 hr. We compared gene expressi

Endocrine and Autonomic SystemsNeuroscience
9
Article|32 citations·2011
Effect of Valproic Acid Through Regulation of NMDA Receptor–ERK Signaling in Sleep Deprivation Rats
Hae Jeong Park, Won Sub Kang, Jong‐Woo Paik, Jong Woo Kim
SJR Q1Journal of Molecular Neuroscience
Developmental NeuroscienceNeuroscience
10
Article|28 citations·2017
Label-free Detection for a DNA Methylation Assay Using Raman Spectroscopy
Jeongho Kim, Hae Jeong Park, Jae Hyung Kim, Boksoon Chang, Hun-Kuk Park
SJR Q1Chinese Medical JournalOA

Label-free detection of DNA methylation could be achieved using Raman spectroscopy with discriminant analysis.

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
11
Article|28 citations·2014
Association of FOS-Like Antigen 1 Promoter Polymorphism with Podocyte Foot Process Effacement in Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy Patients
Hae Jeong Park, Jong Woo Kim, Byoung-Soo Cho, Joo‐Ho Chung
SJR Q1Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis

These results suggest that FOSL1 may be related to IgAN severity.

NephrologyMedicine
12
Article|28 citations·2006
Epigallocatechin gallate reduces hypoxia-induced apoptosis in human hepatoma cells
Hae Jeong Park, Dong-Hoon Shin, Woo Jin Chung, Kang‐Hyun Leem, Seo Hyun Yoon, Mee Suk Hong, Joo‐Ho Chung, Jae-Hoon Bae, Jae Seok Hwang
SJR Q1Life SciencesOA
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
13
Article|27 citations·2010
Association between toll-like receptor 10 (TLR10) gene polymorphisms and childhood IgA nephropathy
Hae Jeong Park, Won-Ho Hahn, Jin‐Soon Suh, Mi‐Ja Kim, Sung Wook Kang, Jong Seok Lee, Jong Woo Kim, Joo‐Ho Chung, Byoung-Soo Cho
SJR Q1European Journal of Pediatrics
NephrologyMedicine
14
Article|19 citations·2013
Effects of essential oil from Chamaecyparis obtusa on cytokine genes in the hippocampus of maternal separation rats
Hae Jeong Park, Su Kang Kim, Won Sub Kang, Jong‐Min Woo, Jong-Woo Kim
SJR Q3Canadian Journal of Physiology and PharmacologyOA

We investigated the effects of an essential oil from Chamaecyparis obtusa (EOCO) on early life stress, using maternal separation (MS) rats and a microarray method to analyze the changes in gene expressions caused by EOCO in the hippocampus of MS rats. Rats in the MS groups were separated from their respective mothers from postnatal day (pnd) 14 to 28. Rats in the EOCO-treated groups were exposed to EOCO for 1 or 2 h by inhalation from pnd 21 to 28. The EOCO-treated MS rats showed decreased anxie

Behavioral NeuroscienceNeuroscience
15
Article|19 citations·2012
Association of thrombospondin 1 gene with schizophrenia in Korean population
Hae Jeong Park, Su Kang Kim, Jong-Woo Kim, Won Sub Kang, Joo‐Ho Chung
SJR Q2Molecular Biology Reports
PharmacologyMedicine

Research Areas

Molecular BiologyEndocrine and Autonomic SystemsGeneticsNephrologyPeriodonticsPlant Science

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