About Me
Hello, I am a neuroscience researcher and currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Seoul National University. My research interest is how emotion modulates the cognition system, especially for learning and memory. During my doctoral training, I focused on how place cells along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus differentially process place and value information.
Education
2014.03 - 2021.08
Ph.D. Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Supervisor: Inah Lee, Ph.D.
Thesis title: Differential functions of the dorsal and intermediate hippocampus in encoding place and its value (Best Doctoral Thesis Award)
2009.03 - 2014.02
B.E. Electronic Engineering & B.A. Psychology
Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
Academic Positions
2021.09 - Present
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University
Advisor: Inah Lee, Ph.D.
Research Interest
Hippocampus and Episodic memory
‘Why do most experiences fade away and some emotionally arousing events are remembered for a lifetime?’
Emotion profoundly influences cognitive processing, including learning and memory. This emotional memory is my favorite research topic, and I would like to reveal the neural mechanisms of how emotionally arousing events lasts for the lifetime in our memory and how negative emotions (e.g., fear and anxiety) interfere the learning and memory processing. To this end, I would like to develop an appropriate behavioral paradigm and apply up-to-date research techniques such as electrophysiology, calcium imaging, optogenetics, and chemogenetics.
I will be happy if the way of erasing the painful memories will be developed in the future.
Skill and Qualifications
In vivo electrophysiological recording in freely moving animals using tetrodes
Electronic circuit design and production for rodent experimental systems
Developing rodent experimental systems for behavioral memory tasks
Programming language (MATLAB, Python, C language, R, Arduino, and Unreal engine)
CAD design software (Inventor, Solidworks)
Rodent Experimental Systems during graduate student
Systems for rodent virtual reality experiment
This system is invented to precisely control visual stimuli for understanding how the hippocampus process visuospatial information to fire in location-selective firing (i.e., place cell). I developed this customized virtual reality system from scratch in hardware and software systems
Patent - Lee, I., Jin, S.W. (2021). Virtual reality behavioral experimental system for rodents and method for controlling the same. KR patent. Under review.
Systems for online sharp-wave ripple detection, analysis and disruption
This system is devised for understanding the functional significance of sharp-wave ripple in the hippocampus. This system can analyze SWR profiles in real-time (e.g., number and frequency of SWR), monitor animal behavior, and disrupt SWR by electrical stimulation
Patent - Lee, I., Jin, S.W. (2022). Method, apparatus and system for analyzing hippocampal ripple. KR patent. Under review.
Systems for intracranial self-stimulation
This system is designed for replacing natural rewards (e.g., sugar-coated cereal) with stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus. I developed a customized conditioning chamber, surgical technique, and customized stimulation-controlled system. I currently apply it to spatial memory tasks in T-maze or virtual reality environments.
Systems for radial arm maze with automated door
This system is designed to automatically open or close the door in the eight-arm maze for spatial memory tasks
Electronics Projects during undergraduate
14×14×14 3D LED cube
By soldering the 2744ea Micro LED, I produced 3D LED cube when I was undergraudate students at Kyungpook National University. This was designed for showing beautiful display patterns and for 3D tetris game.
Wheelchair controlled by arm motion
This work was invented to control the wheelchair by arm motion (e.g., go straight, turn left, and turn right). Kinect (XBOX 360, Microsoft) was used to recognize the arm motion. Based on C language, I developed a software system to control the Kinect.
Peer-reviewed publications
Lee, S.M., Jin, S.W., Park, S.B., Park, E.H., Lee, C.H., Lee, H.W., Lim, H.Y., Yoo, S.W., Ahn, J.R., Shin, J., Lee, S.A., and Lee, I. (2021). Goal-directed interaction of stimulus and task demand in the parahippocampal region. Hippocampus. Link
Invited talks
Hippocampal functions of encoding the place and its value (2021.11.10). BRIC Webinar.