Lab members

Jiyoung Lee, PhD
PI, Jiyounglee@gwu.edu

Jiyoung received her BA and MS from Korea University, South Korea in 2000 and 2004 and PhD degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011.  After postdoctoral training on cancer signaling at the University of Chicago Ben May Institute for Cancer Research, she joined George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences as Assistant professor in 2019. Her research interest is metabolic adaptation of cancer cells and its molecular mechanisms using breast and head and neck cancer models, with an ultimate goal of providing biological insights of metabolic network of tumor for novel therapeutics. 

Yea-In Park, PhD
Postdoctoral scholar, yeainp@gwu.edu

Yea-In earned her PhD from Yonsei University in 2023. As of January 2024, she has joined the Lee Lab to further delve into her passion for understanding the intricacies of cancer metastasis and regulation, with a specific focus on breast cancer and head and neck cancer. Outside of her research pursuits, Yea-In finds solace in the simple pleasures of life. She is an avid coffee enthusiast who enjoys exploring cozy cafes to savor the perfect cup of coffee. Her love for the beverage extends to her creative side, as she takes delight in crafting various desserts that pair exquisitely with different coffee blends.

K. Davis Brock, PhD candidate, kdbrock@gwu.edu

Davis is a PhD student in the Cancer Biology program in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences (IBS) from 2021. Davis completed his BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Wake Forest University in 2018.  Following that, he spent a couple of years working in the Radiation Oncology department at Duke University, examining the development of radiation-induced thymic lymphomas.  He then completed his MS in Tumor Biology at Georgetown University in 2021 working on the interaction of metabolic pathways and immunotherapy.  Outside of lab, Davis is a big fan of trivia nights, live music, and college football (Go Deacs!), as well as an avid runner.

Joselyn Padilla Martinez, PhD candidate, joselynp@gwu.edu

Joselyn is a PhD student in the IBS Cancer Biology program from 2021 and a T32 training grant awardee from 2022. Joselyn graduated from University of Maryland, College Park in 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences. She then went on to be a Research Assistant for Dr. Jiyoung Lee before going to Grad School from 2020-2021. Outside of the lab she likes to explore the DMV and look for good places to eat. Joselyn also likes going on hikes and working out when she can and when the weather allows it. 

Hengtian Liu, MS candidate, liuht@gwu.edu

Hengtian graduated from ShanghaiTech University in China with a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2022 and joined the Lee lab in early 2023 to investigate the effect of nutrients on cancer cell metastasis using breast cancer and head & neck cancer models. Outside of the lab his hobby is cooking.

Avani Bansal, GW BS-MD, abansal28@gwu.edu

Avani is currently in her third year of the BS-MD program at GWU and joined the Lab to delve into the intricacies of basic cancer research in 2023. Avani's research training is focused on protein analysis of breast or head and neck cancer cells, exploring its potential applications in cancer therapeutics. Beyond the lab, she likes to take a picture of the essence of both scientific discovery and the vibrant culture of Washington, D.C. When she's not in the lab, you'll likely find Avani exploring the city's museums or sampling its diverse culinary scene.

Alex Yoon, Lab service supervisor, alexy@gwu.edu

Alex graduated Hanyang University in Seoul, Korea with a Bachelor's degree in tourism. After dozens of career experience in industry, he  joined our lab to support lab business in 2024.