Recognizing Plant Physiology first authors: Junsik Choi

Junsik Choi, first author of Loss of CRWN nuclear proteins induces cell death and salicylic acid defense signaling

Current Position: Ph.D. student in Section of Plant Biology at Cornell University

Education: Ph.D. in Plant Biology, Section of Plant Biology, Cornell University (expected May 2019); B.S. in Applied Chemistry, College of Agriculture and Science, Seoul National University

Non-scientific Interests: Philatelic collection, classical music, PC hardware

Brief bio: I grew up with a neighbor, a retired principal, who was passionate about gardening. He worked to beautify not only his premises, but also communal places in my town, which was an urbanized grey district before he started planting flowers. Through his efforts, the town turned into a bright and colorful neighborhood, and experiencing this transformation made me develop an interest in plants. In my college education, I was trained as a molecular biologist and naturally chose plants as the main object of my study. Fortunately, with support from a Korean Government Fellowship, I could extend my career in plant research and study in Cornell University’s  Ph.D. program in Plant Biology. I am currently studying the plant nuclear lamina and its roles in plant defense response and development. Although less obvious in its aesthetic appeal, I believe studying plant cell biology can have a great impact on improving both society and nature, and I hope to keep plants as an important aspect of my work as I transition to the next phase in my career.