Me

Bio myself

About me

I received my M.S. in Bio-Medical Engineering at Immunology laboratory and my Ph.D in  Human Genetics at Neurobiology laboratory from Korea University. I received my B.A and B.S. in Psychology and Life Science from Korea University. I was a faculty as a research professor in Department of Anatomy, Medical School of Korea University before starting my journey abroad the United States in 2010. I was further trained and worked at National Eye Institute of National Institute of Health, Nano-Medicine and Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University and Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University. I studied autoimmune diseases and immune tolerance, and brain anatomy and developing brain focusing on protein molecules, CD1d (Non-classical MHC) and Protocadherins (Non-clustered) during my M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Since 2010, I have been in the field of retina, especially photoreceptor synapse development and retina degeneration. I had worked as a scientist and project manager at Research & Development and early manufacturing development of Biotech companies for the last 4 years . I recently began studying Nursing at MiraCosta College in spring 2024. I do not know what is my next journey in my life, stepping on this nursing program. Previously, I worked as a volunteer counsellor at Chun-Chon Welfare Center, Youth Center, Psychology Student Association and Disabled clubs during my undergraduate and graduate. It was not easy for me to have two different career pathways of clinical psychology and basic science. I chose free programs that provided full scholorship and stipend supports. That was totally good for me to learn New and have experiences as a scientist. I have enjoyed my learning so far, but I hope to do something else and help more others if I have chances. I have broad interests from eating and health, illness, near-death, human history, literature, biology, genetics, nature, gardening, crochet, new learning, any kinds of data and etc. I LOVE my family above anything, and SIMPLE and SLOW life. – April 2024


Looking Back on 2024 and 2025, and Still Dreaming of a New Start

When my most recent biotech workplace shut down, I found myself at a crossroads. I still had the energy to dream of building a biotech startup, but after watching two companies I worked for shut down, I couldn’t even convince myself it would succeed.

So, instead, I took a different path. I enrolled in a free nursing course, a CNA program near my home, because I wanted to learn how I could continue helping others. That choice took me back in time to 1997–1998, when I worked with my college seniors in the psychology therapy club Torch Band and visited juvenile detention centers and psychiatric hospitals. Later, in 2008, I also learned about sandplay therapy. Those memories resurfaced as I began my new journey in nursing. After receiving my CNA certification, I worked at a nearby memory center while also preparing for pre-nursing courses. Since my previous college studies hadn’t included all the required U.S. nursing prerequisites. For example, I had taken animal physiology but not human physiology, so I needed to fill such gaps. At the memory care where I worked for a while, I noticed that quite a few seniors struggling with memory loss also had glaucoma. I can’t say that’s scientifically proven. I just noticed that some studies failed to show significant statistics on the connection. Someday, if I have the time, I’d love to dig into Korea’s public medical insurance datasets and explore the common mechanisms behind these conditions in more detail.What made me truly happy was seeing positive changes in the seniors with memory problems I cared for.

Maybe my interest in nursing was also influenced by my first daughter. In high school, she joined a medical club, and before college, she even took part in a high school internship program at Scripps Hospital. Later, even after choosing computer science as her major at UC Davis, she pursued EMT training. But in the summer of 2025, both of us stepped away. I quit my role as a care manager, and she stopped EMT training. That early summer, she was struck by a virus and diagnosed with meningitis. For nearly a month, her life was at risk, and I stayed by her side, helping her fight to survive. It brought back memories of my own hospitalization, when I spent a month with a high fever and no diagnosis. I still remember that near-death moment. Even in that split second, the experience remains etched vividly in my mind.

Even now, I still want to learn more about clinical care, but at the age of 50, it feels too late, less enjoyable, and not quite aligned with my current situation. While taking some pre-nursing courses, I also began exploring computer-related courses online and still hope to keep learning new things. My dream of starting a biotech company inspired me to explore publishing ventures, try self-publishing, and eventually start a nonprofit with my younger daughter. She is actually the founder and guiding force behind the BunnyPals Foundation. BunnyPals started as a small club for kids who had bunnies, but now it has grown to include writing and craft clubs, as well as Korean language learning. I hope to help children nurture creativity, compassion, and environmental awareness through artistic expression, storytelling, and community engagement. I also dream of helping them become authors of their own creative works.

Part of me still dreams of returning to research or building a research-focused nonprofit or startup. I wait for that dream. 

Looking back, my life has been a journey of choices. Some I treasure, some I wonder about. For example, I once had the chance to pursue medical school or clinical psychology, but I didn’t. Do I regret it a little? Yes. But deep down, I know that even if I could go back, I might still choose this same path.

As an undergraduate in Korea, I never knew clinicians could also be researchers. I simply wanted to discover something new and contribute to patients’ well-being as a scientist. Also, I know if I chose a different path, I would have never researched. Now, though, I believe that for most people, education and lifestyle changes should come before medication.

To my juniors, including my daughters, I hope you’ll always find the resources you need for your career paths and that you’ll follow not just ambition but also your heart. May you always be wise enough to find balance between life, work, and money. – Sep 9 2025

Professional Services

Grant Review Service

  • Peer Reviewer, Auckland Medical Research Foundation, 2025

Editorial Service

 Community Service

  • President, San Diego Chapter, Korean-American Women in Science and Engineering (KWiSE), 2026-2027
  • Data coordinator and analyst, mpstruc, 2025-present
  • Vice-president, San Diego Chapter, Korean-American Women in Science and Engineering (KWiSE), 2024-2025
  • Organizing Committee Member of Annual Bioscience and Engineering Symposium (ABES), National Institutes of Health, 2014-2015
  • Office of Scientific Affairs, Board Member of National Institutes of Health -Korean Scientists Association (KSA), 2014-2015
  • Organizing Committee Member, 2014 symposium of Korean-American Women in Science and Engineering (KWiSE)- National Institutes of Health, 2014
  • Poster judge at the National Institutes of Health-Graduate Students Research Symposium, 2014 
  • Poster judge at the National Institutes of Health-Postbac Research Poster Day, 2012

YouTube

Gene Therapy Development in Ocular Diseases, KOSEN Bridge Forum (Advanced Bio), Sep 15 (Sep 14, US), 2023

Github

gungil07/run

Blogs

김수영의 한국과 미국, 중증장애인 복립생활연대, Independent for the Disabled

BunnyPals

Books

원점, ISBN:9791198835208

INDIEPUB

Returning to Origins-ebook

Returning to Origins-paperbook

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started