Jeeyun Chung

Jeeyun Chung is a Lecturer in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology at Harvard University. Her research focuses on cellular fat metabolism and inter-organelle communication, particularly the mechanisms of autophagic lipid recycling, known as lipophagy. Chung's work explores the roles and regulatory mechanisms of lipophagy in cellular metabolism and neuronal functions, with implications for diseases such as obesity, fatty liver disease, cancer, and neurological disorders. She employs multidisciplinary approaches, including advanced microscopy, biochemistry, and mass spectrometry-based analytics, to investigate lipid trafficking and its impact on neuropathology. Her research includes studies on lipid droplet degradation, selective autophagy of lipid droplets, and lipid droplet assembly complexes.

Jeeyun Chung's research focuses on membrane biology, lipid metabolism, and neurodegeneration. Their work explores lipid droplet biogenesis, the role of lipid metabolism in cellular processes, and the mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. Key studies include the function of ORP5 and ORP8 in ER–plasma membrane contacts, the role of PI4KIIIα in plasma membrane identity, and the involvement of spartin in lipid droplet degradation. Chung's research also addresses lipid droplet assembly through interactions between LDAF1 and seipin, as well as the molecular mechanisms of lipid droplet formation and breakdown. Their work contributes to understanding the structural and functional dynamics of cellular membranes and their implications in disease.