Dr. Lee is a molecular geneticist whose research focuses on understanding the epigenetic regulation of chromatin switches in response to environmental cues using the plant model organism, Arabidopsis thaliana. Epigenetic regulation involves modifying gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, and these changes can be inherited across cells and/or generations. However, the lethality of epigenetic mutants in animal models has limited research into the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of epigenetic modifications in response to environmental signals. To address these questions, Dr. Lee's lab utilizes Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant species tolerant of epigenetic mutations. They employ various genetic, molecular and bioinformatic analyses, including large-scale transcriptome, small RNA sequencing, DNA methylome analysis, and chromatin modification (ChIP sequencing), to investigate the highly conserved mechanisms underlying epigenetic regulation in higher eukaryotes.

Dr. Lee holds a Ph.D. from Dartmouth College and previously served as a faculty member at Amherst College before joining Duke Kunshan University.