Principal Investigator
 | Sua obtained her BA and PhD at University of California, Berkeley. During her postdoctoral years at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), she changed her research from molecular biology to single molecule biophysics. Sua began her independent career as an Assistant professor in Bioengineering department at UIUC and moved to Biophysics department at Johns Hopkins University as an Associate Professor where she also served as a Director of Undergraduate Students. She joined the Program for Cellular Molecular Medicine (PCMM) at the Boston Children’s Hospital as a Professor starting August of 2023. Sua loves musical activities including singing and playing instruments and cooking for friends and family. |
Senior Staff Scientists
| Chun-Ying “Jim” Lee Jim, a dedicated scientist passionate about unraveling the science of life. Holding BS and MS degrees in Chemistry from National Taiwan University, he earned a PhD in Biophysics from Johns Hopkins University in 2021 under Dr. Myong's mentorship. Jim's research delved into the enigmatic realm of G quadruplex and its mysterious role in the central dogma. Employing innovative in vitro and in vivo techniques, he explored DNA G4's impact on transcription, even dissecting transcription stages via single-molecule approaches. His investigation extended to RNA G4, uncovering their function on regulating translation efficiency in the E. coli system. Currently, Jim continues working with Dr. Myong as a staff scientist in Boston Children’s Hospital. His focus now rests on comprehending the global regulatory role of R-loops in gene expression across diverse cell stages and types. With an unyielding curiosity, Jim continues to shed light on the molecular mechanisms that underlie life's fundamental processes. |
| Tapas Paul Tapas obtained his BSc and MSc in chemistry from Calcutta University and his PhD in Chemistry from the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, West Bengal, India. He joined Prof. Myong’s lab as a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University in 2018. Then he moved with the entire lab to Boston Children’s Hospital in 2023, and his position was promoted to Senior Staff Scientist. His research interests included DNA breathing and looping dynamics, but he now focuses on telomere overhang folding, specifically G-quadruplexes (G4) and the telomere binding accessory shelterin proteins. Additionally, he worked on different G4 binding and unwinding helicases. In his free time, he likes to play cricket, football, and badminton and enjoys cooking. |
Postdoctoral Fellows
 | Nilimesh Das Nilimesh got his formal education in chemistry from Calcutta and Presidency University and obtained his PhD from IIT Kanpur, India. His PhD work applied a single molecular technique: FCS, and a few fluorescence-based ultrafast spectroscopic techniques to study protein behaviour in crowded environments. He joined the Myong lab in 2023 and will study an interesting polymer: PAR using various microscopic techniques. In his spare time, he likes to read novels and enjoys cooking. |
 | Stephanie Gu Stephanie earned her BS in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology and her PhD in Biochemistry from Duke University. Her doctoral research used solution NMR approaches to study the structural dynamics of DNA at the base pair level. In 2024, Stephanie joined the Myong lab as a postdoctoral fellow to explore the biophysical effects of polyamines on nucleic acids and their interactions with proteins. In her free time, she enjoys watching food videos on Youtube and dog-watching at the park. |
 | Jihee Hwang Jihee earned her BS in Chemistry from Han-yang University and her PhD in Biophysical Chemistry from Seoul National University, South Korea. Her doctoral research concentrated on advancing super-resolution imaging techniques and understanding protein-nucleic acid interactions through single-molecule methods. In 2020, she joined Prof. Myong’s lab as a postdoctoral researcher, exploring the impact of G-rich sequences and R-loops on gene expression. Outside of her work, Jihee enjoys cooking and traveling. |
 | Hsuan-Lei Sung Hsuan-Lei obtained his BS in Chemistry from National Taiwan University, and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Colorado Boulder. His PhD work used single molecule methods to study the structural dynamics of DNA/RNA in response to temperature and extreme pressure. In 2023, Hsuan-Lei joined the Myong Lab as a postdoctoral fellow. At the moment, he is still exploring potential projects about nucleolus structure and functions. Outside the lab, he likes to go to the mountains, local cinemas, and browse farmer’s markets. |
 | Seungwon Lee Seungwon completed his integrated MS–PhD program in Chemistry at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea, where he began undergraduate studies in 2013 and earned his doctoral degree in February 2025. During his PhD, he used single-molecule FRET (smFRET) techniques to investigate mitochondrial transcription. In September 2025, he joined the Myong lab at Boston Children’s Hospital to study the activity of PARP1/2 and to observe PAR branching using single-molecule methods. Outside of the lab, Seungwon enjoys cycling and watching movies. |
Graduate Students
 | Sunghyun Cho Sunghyun graduated from Seoul National University with a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering. He investigated the interaction between genomic loci and nuclear condensates utilizing Oligopaint-FISH. Currently, he is a PhD student in BBS graduate program at Harvard. He began his PhD in the Myong lab in 2022 with a focus on exploring the effects of RNA binding protein on RNA folding pathways and RNA Structurome in cells. Outside of the lab, he enjoys traveling, playing many kinds of sports, singing, and dancing. |
 | Meera Joshi Meera is a PhD student in the Jenkins Biophysics Program at Johns Hopkins University and joined the Myong Lab in the summer of 2021. She obtained her BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Wesleyan University in 2020. Her research focuses on how G-Quadruplex, a nucleic acid secondary structure, can affect translation processes. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and long walks.
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 | Gemechu Mekonnen Gemechu is a PhD student in the Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics program at Johns Hopkins University. He is ethnically Oromo and was born in Ethiopia. He received a dual degree in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development (BS) and Political Science (BA) from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Gemehu is interested in bimolecular condensates which is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases including ALS. His current project explores how the RNA helicase DDX6 regulates FUS phase separation and the resulting condensate property. He is a recipient of NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual NRSA, F31 award. |
 | Xincheng Yuan Xincheng is a PhD student in the CMDB program at Johns Hopkins University and joined the Myong Lab in the summer of 2022. He received his BA in Biology from Queens College, City University of New York. His research focuses on exploring the mechanisms involved in regulating FUS nucleolar translocation and its implications in ALS/FTLD. He is a recipient of NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual NRSA, F31 award. In his free time, he likes to play board games, propagate house plants and take long walks during the winter.
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Undergraduate Student
 | Vanya Noh Vanya grew up in New York and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology at Boston University. She joined the Myong Lab in 2024 and works under graduate student Meera to study the effect of RNA G-quadruplexes in various processes of the central dogma. |