Team
KOREA-HS
We are Team Korea_HS, a group of 16 dedicated members from 15 different schools, united by our shared passion for Synthetic Biology. The iGEM 2024 competition has provided us with an excellent opportunity to explore and apply Synthetic Biology in innovative ways, offering invaluable experiences for each member. Looking ahead, Team Korea_HS remains committed to continued collaboration and the application of Synthetic Biology in our respective fields, as we strive to create a better world through the opportunities presented by iGEM.
Team Members
Mirae Do
(Team Leader / Human Practices Team Member / Wiki and Deliverables Team Member)
Hello! My name is Mirae Do, and I am a rising junior based in Singapore. I am beyond grateful for the chance to serve as the Korea_HS iGEM team leader this year. Through my leadership, I aim to assist all 16 passionate members of this team in harnessing each of our unique strengths to innovate creatively, collaborate effectively, and ultimately achieve successful results in this project. Born and raised in Singapore, I’ve developed a passion for mental health and mental health literacy advocacy. This passion has translated into an interest in neuroscience and psychology, leading me to join this team. Through my participation in this project, I’m excited to expand my understanding of general biology as well as the fascinating applications of synthetic biology.
Alyssa Han
(Team Leader / SDG Team Leader / Experiments Team Member)
Hello everyone! My name is Alyssa Han, an SDG leader, an Experiments team member, and also the leader of this year's Korea_HS Team. I was born in the United States but moved to South Korea. As a rising junior, I am really interested and passionate about synthetic biology, medicine-related subjects, and the UNSDGs. To pursue my interests, I have been participating in multiple biology research programs and building my own clubs focused on service action. In my free time, I enjoy playing the violin and sports such as tennis, cross country, table tennis, and track and field. Through the iGEM competition, I hope to gain knowledge and collaborate with different students about synthetic biology, as well as develop skills and abilities for my future.
Yerin Cho
(Team Co-Leader / Human Practices Team Member / Experiments Team Member)
Hello, I am Yerin Cho, the team co-leader, Human Practices member, and experiments team member of Kor_HS 2024. To briefly introduce myself, I am a junior at Emma Willard School, and I was born in Seoul, lived in Shanghai, and am living in northern NJ. I have always had a strong interest in the medical field, so I decided to participate in this IGEM competition, the biggest synthetic biology competition. Even though my primary interests lean toward the neuroscience field, synthetic biology has always been a fascinating topic for me. I am looking forward to extracting valuable experiences from diving into the pool of synthetic biology and broadening my perspective in the more general biology field through the IGEM journey.
June Choi
(Team Co-Leader / Experiments Team Leader / SDG Team Member)
Hello! My name is June Choi, a Team Co-leader, Experiments Leader, and SDG team member. I am a rising junior at Johns Creek High School, in Georgia. I was born in Portland, Oregon, and after living in Korea for a few years, I resided in New Jersey and eventually moved to Georgia. Throughout the various high school courses I have taken, I have developed a great interest in science classes, especially biology. Aside from academics, some of my favorite activities include playing the piano, golfing with my family, and playing basketball with my friends. This year in iGEM, I hope to increase my knowledge of biology while also enjoying my time with friends who have aligned interests with me. I hope we can improve through making mistakes as a team and ultimately be successful!
Yuri Kang
(Human Practices Team Leader / Wiki and Deliverables Team Member)
Hello, my name is Yuri Kang, and I am the Human Practices leader and a Wiki team member for the Korea_HS team this year. I am currently a junior attending an international school in Seoul, with a strong interest in both biology and public health. I joined Korea_HS to delve into the world of synthetic biology, a fascinating area of study that is new to me yet highly intriguing. Through this experience, I aim to enhance my understanding of synthetic biology, improve my collaboration skills, and engage with a diverse network of individuals.
Charlotte Im
(Human Practices Team Leader / Wiki and Deliverables Team Member)
Hi! My name is Charlotte Im, and I’m a rising sophomore at Harvard-Westlake School. This year, I have the opportunity to serve as the Korea_HS Human Practices Team Leader. Because our team is made up of inquisitive students from different places around the world, I hope to ensure that our project flourishes by leveraging the diverse and unique backgrounds and experiences of our team, uniting them into a successful global initiative. I initially joined the Korea_HS team because of my fascination with biology, which began with taking the course at my school. Since then, I’ve been harnessing this passion by continually learning and contributing to projects that explore the wonders of the biological world around us. With this team project, I strive to use the knowledge gained during this journey to develop innovative solutions with synthetic biology for the greater good.
Mary Chung
(Wiki and Deliverables Team Leader / Human Practices Team Member)
Hi, I'm Mary Chung, the leader of the Wiki and Deliverables team. I'm currently attending NLCS Singapore. I'm excited to get the chance to compete in iGEM this year since I have a strong interest in science and am also learning about the world of biology! I've grown to enjoy biology as I enjoy learning new concepts and experimenting with them. As the leader of the Wiki and Deliverables team, I'm also excited to contribute to our team because I enjoy designing things and developing aesthetics! In Seoul and Paris as well, I'm excited to have amazing moments and spend wonderful time with our members. I'm really looking forward to it!
Joseph Park
(SDG Team Member / Experiments Team Member)
Hi everyone, my name is Joseph Park, and I am a rising sophomore at Korea International School Jeju. I was born in Hawaii and am currently living in South Korea. It is an honor to serve as SDG Team Member and Experiments Team Member for 2024 IGEM. My passion for biology kicked off when I was young, leading me to join this great opportunity in synthetic biology. I am looking forward to gaining memorable experiences throughout IGEM, and I can’t wait to see how our experiment works out! Our diverse colleague composition seems to provide unique and intriguing ideas, which I love.
Jinah Chung
(Human Practices Team Member / Wiki and Deliverables Team Member)
Hello, my name is Jinah Chung, a sophomore at Wesleyan School in Georgia. It is an honor to be part of the Human Practice and Wiki team this year as a member of the Korea_HS Team. Throughout the past couple of years, my interest in the medical field has naturally led me to the study of biology. Through iGEM, I am eager to enhance my knowledge in the field of synthetic biology and gain experience in scientific research. Beyond just academics, I am looking forward to collaborating with my peers and advisors to improve my teamwork and communication skills!
Jiyul Lee
(SDG Team Member / Experiments Team Member)
Hello! My name is Jiyul Lee, a senior at Branksome Hall Asia in Jeju Island, South Korea. I am a member of the SDG and Experiments division under Korea_HS. My love for biochemistry, which started in Grade 9, as well as my newfound passion for medicine, pharmacology, and toxicology, led me to branch out my interest to other fields of science, which is why I decided to join the team for iGEM this year. Through iGEM, I hope to gain invaluable experience in exploring the field of synthetic biology and its real-world applications, collaborating with amazing students worldwide to help mitigate a critical environmental issue the world is facing. I look forward to participating in iGEM with our cohort this year.
Minseo Kang
(SDG Team Member / Wiki and Deliverables Team Member)
Hello, I am Minseo Kang, and I am a junior at EF Academy Pasadena. I work in this iGEM as a member of the SDG and Wiki/Deliverables teams. Until 5th grade, I lived in South Korea and moved to Canada. Although I’m currently in California, I have had an interest in biology and biopharm since the COVID pandemic started when I was in Canada. I found it interesting to learn about the foundation of vaccines and how biological functions work. Through iGEM 2024, I hope not only to expand my knowledge but also to have great experiences while participating and exploring opportunities in biological subjects.
Jay In Park
(SDG Team Member / Experiments Team Member)
Hi everyone, I am Jay In Park, an 11th grader at SJA Jeju. I am glad to be a part of Team Korea_HS for the 2024 iGEM competition and participate as an SDG Team Member and Experiment Team Member. My interest in synthetic biology began because of a curiosity about how the living system interacts with our lives, which made me interested in this contest. I joined this team and worked with many people from various backgrounds. I am excited about learning and having many experiences, and I am excited to contribute to our iGEM team. I aim to create meaningful changes and build a better future through synthetic biology with my team.
Jaeyun Kim
(SDG Team Member / Experiments Team Member)
Hello everyone! My name is Jaeyun Kim, and I am a 9th grader at KMLA. I am glad to be a part of Team Korea_HS this year! I was born in South Korea and raised in Seoul, especially Daechi, the mecca of CSAT academies. You may think I am irrelevant to you, but I selected the international course when I got into KMLA. I am interested in biology and appropriate technology, so I want to learn many things through this competition. Although I am not as good at English or Biology as you, I will try to learn more and do some good for our team.
Kate Park
(Human Practices Team Member / Experiments Team Member)
Hello! My name is Kate Park, and I am a sophomore attending Choate Rosemary Hall. I am part of two subgroups of our team: Human Practices and Experiments. It is an honor to participate in this year’s iGEM competition. I was born in South Korea but was raised partly in California, Pennsylvania, and Seoul. I developed a keen interest in neuroscience and pharmacology throughout middle school and my first year of high school. As a rising sophomore, I hope to continue to pursue these fields with the help of iGEM 2024. In the future, I believe that synthetic biology will have a lasting impact on worldwide healthcare and research; thus, this opportunity will prepare me for the aspirations that lie ahead. I look forward to experiencing the whole research process while having the opportunity to meet new people.
Kyungjin Oh
(Human Practices Team Member / Experiments Team Member)
Hello! I am Kyungjin Oh, a sophomore at Saint Paul Preparatory Seoul. It is an honor to be able to participate in IGEM 2024. I am part of two subgroups of our team, Human Practices and Experiments. As a member, I am contributing my best to this team. I was born and raised in Daejeon, Korea, but recently moved to Seoul. I was always interested in synthetic biology and chemistry, so I decided to participate in the IGEM competition to challenge myself. Although I am not an expert, I am taking sophisticated courses like AP Chemistry and college-level courses to enhance my skills further. Through IGEM, I aim to deepen my knowledge and make meaningful contributions while growing personally and academically.
Minjune Choi
(SDG Team Member / Experiments Team Member)
Hello, I am Barry (Minjune) Choi, a senior at North London Collegiate School Jeju, and I am honored to participate as a member of the SDG and the Experiments Team. I have had a genuine passion for biology since I was a child, especially in diseases such as cancer, and I always aspired to solve these problems since I was young. I found that the iGEM competition could be a good opportunity for me to challenge myself, gain a deeper understanding of biology and its roots, and also learn how to socialize with others and work together as a team.
Kyunghwan Roh
(Student Advisor)
Nice to meet you! I am Kyunghwan (James) Roh, a senior at St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, and I am honored to serve as an advisor for the Korea-HS team in the iGEM 2024 competition. My passion for biochemistry and biomedical engineering has driven me to participate in iGEM since 2022, where I took on various roles and applied synthetic biology to real-life challenges. Through these experiences, I have gained invaluable knowledge and honed my leadership skills. This year, I am eager to guide the Korea-HS team, based on my past experiences as both a leader and an advisor, to help them achieve remarkable success. I look forward to seeing our team members grow and develop their skills, making significant contributions to the team. Together, I am confident we will achieve great outcomes in our scientific journey!
Eyoung Kim
(Student Advisor)
Hello, my name is Eyoung Kim, a senior at Penn Foster High School, and I am grateful to serve as a student advisor for Korea_HS this year. Participating as an SDG leader at the 2023 iGEM competition, I was able to bolster my leadership skills and gain invaluable knowledge of sustainability, especially regarding food security. I joined iGEM because I was willing to take a chance to expand my safety zone in science. Investigating synthetic biology, I want to explore how biology can be applied in the real world through lab experiences. This year, I am looking forward to seeing how our team will develop throughout the year by addressing the new challenges of synthetic biology.
Siyoon Kim
(Student Advisor)
Hello, I am Siyoon Kim, a senior at Cheongna Dalton School in Incheon, South Korea. For the 2024 iGEM Competition, I am excited to serve as a student advisor for Team Korea-HS. In 2023, I had the honor of leading this team, where I coordinated our efforts and contributed to both the Human Practices and Wiki & Deliverables teams. This experience ignited my passion for synthetic biology and sustainable practices. I joined iGEM to deepen my understanding of these fields and explore the real-world impact of our innovations. As a student advisor, I aim to impart the knowledge and insights I’ve gained to help guide our team towards success. I am eager to foster a collaborative environment where we can all learn from each other. Through iGEM, I hope to continue my journey in molecular biology and neuroscience, steering my future toward meaningful contributions in these areas.
Chaeeun Park
(Student Advisor)
Hello! My name is Chaeeun Park, and I am a student advisor of Korea_HS. I am also a senior attending Dulwich College Seoul, South Korea. I am beyond grateful to be a part of this passionate team and participate in iGEM 2024. Last year, I joined iGEM because of my interest in the biological sciences, in order to explore the branch of synthetic biology and learn about its application in the context of the real world. In iGEM 2023, I was the team co-leader and a member of the Wiki & Deliverables and Human Practices groups. This year, I oversee the Wiki & Deliverables group and am also involved in leadership training. From this opportunity, I hope to obtain new knowledge about some of the integrated processes that design biological systems, interact and work with new people, exchange ideas, and improve my collaboration skills.
Yubin Son
(Student Advisor)
Hello! I am Yubin Son; it is an honor to introduce myself as a student advisor of the Korea_HS team this year. I was born and raised in Seoul, Korea, but moved to Shanghai, China, in middle school. Currently, I am a rising senior attending Concordia International School Shanghai with a keen interest in environmental science, food sustainability, and public policy. It is an incredible honor for me to have held the position of team leader last year and to continue my role as advisor for this exceptional team this year. Our team achieved remarkable success last year, winning the Gold prize. Additionally, we were honored with other special recognitions, including the Best Measurement Special Award, the Best Sustainable Development Impact Special Award, and a Top 5 Nomination for the Best Integrated Human Practices Special Award. I eagerly look forward to witnessing the accomplishments that this year’s team will undoubtedly achieve.
Claire Kim
(Student Advisor)
Hello, I am Heeryoung (Claire) Kim, a senior attending Chadwick International in Incheon, South Korea, and I am glad to once again take part in the 2024 iGEM competition as a student advisor. Participating in the 2022 iGEM competition, I was able to expand my knowledge in the field of synthetic biology, learning about its vast potential and real-world applications. As a member of the human practices team, I gained invaluable experience in bridging the gap between scientific research and societal impact, engaging with diverse communities, understanding their perspectives, and ensuring our projects were ethically and socially responsible. Returning as a student advisor, I am looking forward to seeing how our team will tackle new challenges and contribute to advancements in synthetic biology.
Chaewon Kim
(Student Advisor)
Hello, my name is Chaewon (Ellen) Kim, a senior attending Korea International School in South Korea. I am participating as a student advisor for Korea-HS at iGEM 2024. During iGEM 2022, I was introduced to the field of synthetic biology. In addition to gaining such deep insight and experience, I also had the opportunity to interact with global iGEMers through collaborations during the season as a Korea-HS collaboration leader. I was fortunate to have access to extensive resources and equipment from our professors and advisors to properly tackle our projects. At iGEM 2023, I was able to guide new members through the competition based on my previous year’s experience as a student advisor. Returning this year as a student advisor for Korea-HS once again, I hope not only to take this as a learning opportunity for myself but also to guide Korea-HS to continued success.
Young Min
(Student Advisor)
Hello, my name is Young Min, a senior attending The Harker School located in San Jose, California, and I am thrilled to take part in iGEM for the second time as a student advisor for Team Korea_HS. Although I initially participated in iGEM with a simple interest in bioengineering, the competition’s alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals gave me a deeper sense of meaning behind my research work in bioengineering, which boosted my passion for research. iGEM has also allowed me to realize bioengineering’s versatility, as the competition hosts a plethora of teams with different research goals, ranging from conserving coral to preventing hair loss. Through transitioning from the Experiments team leader to the team’s student advisor, I cannot wait to be a mentor who guides others through the rewarding iGEM journey and introduces experiences within the synthetic biology realm unique to iGEM.
Professor Woo Rin Lee
(Primary Instructor)
Hello! I am thrilled to introduce myself as the principal instructor for the Korea_HS team in iGEM 2024. I have had the honor of guiding and mentoring the team for the past four years, overseeing both the experimental aspects and delivering lectures. As the principal instructor, my role is to provide guidance and support to the team members as they navigate the challenges and opportunities that arise during the iGEM competition. I aim to create a positive and stimulating learning environment where everyone can thrive and contribute their unique skills and ideas. I am confident that the Korea_HS team will excel in this year's iGEM competition, showcasing their innovative ideas, meticulous experimentation, and effective communication skills. Together, we will continue to embrace the challenges, celebrate the achievements, and enjoy the journey that iGEM offers.
Matthew (Seoyun) Lee
(Primary Instructor)
2024 - iGEM coming back! I am Seoyun (Matthew) Lee, a student at the University of California, Berkeley majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology (with emphasis in Molecular Therapeutics). A four-year iGEMer committed to Team Korea-HS, I participated in iGEM as a student leader (2021), head student advisor (2022-2023), and instructor (2024). I am also a member of various iGEM Community initiatives, such as the Asian Ambassador Network (2022), MENA League Judging Committee (2023), and iGEM Model United Nations (2024). Besides iGEM, I am a student-entrepreneur, working as a co-entrepreneur at IGOTIN/Bondit and a senior partner at a local consulting agency. It is my deepest honor to see this team grow each year. Every single process of the iGEM cycle, whether that be sleepless nights, heated collaboration, or hands-on initiatives, enriches me with a novel sense of purpose, excitement, and growth.
Hyein Park
(Primary Principal Investigator)
Hello! My name is Hyein Park, and I am working as an extracurricular and leadership mentor at Crimson Education to support students, such as in the iGEM competition. I used to be responsible for managing the process with the students of the iGEM team in 2020 and 2023. For iGEM 2024, I am the primary principal investigator of the Korea_HS Team. As a primary PI, my major responsibilities are team management and project administration. Every week, I manage and coordinate each of the team members and the progress of project activities. Also, I document our team’s activities and manage all the files on Google Drive. I am so honored to participate as a supporter of the iGEM competition again this year, and I am looking forward to the presentation day!