Dr Min-Kyeung Choi

About me:

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Living Systems Institute (LSI), University of Exeter

I am a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter, based at the Living Systems Institute (LSI), where I investigate how early-life stress shapes adult brain function through genomic and epigenomic mechanisms.

My research focuses on altered response to stress induced by early life exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs), critical stress hormones that regulate homeostasis. GC exposure during early life has been linked to long-term health issues, including neurodegeneration, neuropsychiatric disorders, and accelerated ageing. Despite its importance, the molecular mechanisms driving these outcomes remain poorly understood. Emerging evidence points to genomic dysregulation and disruptions in both genome integrity and epigenetic landscapes as key factors linking early-life stress to adult health risks.

Research Interests

By using zebrafish models, I explore cortisol-induced molecular stress responses in:

• Genomic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying primed alterations leading to adulthood health problems following early-life stress exposure.
• Genomic dysregulation and disruptions in genome integrity and epigenetic landscapes in adult brains established by developmental stress hormone exposure.
• Transgenerational effects of early-life stress exposure.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Genomics (Animal Biotechnology) – Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
• B.Agr. in Animal Biotechnology – Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea