Teach Me in 10: Future of Molecular Diagnostics

Dr. Jong-Hyuk Lee is an Assistant Professor of Genetics in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Mercer University School of Medicine and an affiliated faculty member of Mercer’s Center for Gerontology. His research centers on the epigenetic mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases, with a particular focus on chromatin dynamics and DNA repair pathways in premature aging syndromes such as Cockayne Syndrome. Dr. Lee received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Science from Seoul National University, where he investigated p53 and histone modifications in DNA damage responses. He completed postdoctoral training at the National Institute on Aging, where he made significant contributions to understanding how NAD+ metabolism and DNA repair impact cellular aging. His work continues to explore rejuvenation strategies by targeting epigenetic alterations.

Emma received her bachelor’s degree in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2020 and her MS in Bioinformatics from New York University in 2023. Previous experience includes leading the Outcomes Data department at Tempus Labs and serving as Program Manager for the University of California Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Cancer Data Sciences.

Dr. Carina Kern is the CEO of LinkGevity, a biotechnology company focused on drug discovery for aging and related diseases. With a distinguished background in genetics, molecular biology, evolutionary biology, and pharmacology, she is renowned for her pioneering work on aging mechanisms and lifespan extension. Her labs are based at the Babraham Research Campus, affiliated with the University of Cambridge. Kern has multiple high-impact publications. Her research has been backed by the UK Government Innovation Agency, Francis Crick Institute (KQ labs) and European Union (Horizon), as well as NASA Space-H. She has held academic and leadership roles in interdisciplinary networks, including serving as president of the London Evolutionary Research Network and co-chair of the CleanTech Business Challenge, an initiative co-led by the London Business School.