Education
BS – Seoul National University, Korea
MS – Seoul National University, Korea
PhD – State University of New York, Stony Brook
Postdoc – University of California, San Francisco
Research Interests
- Brain development (mechanisms of neocortical growth and folding)
- Molecular mechanisms of Hedgehog signaling
- Function of primary cilia in medulloblastoma
Honors and Awards
- 2015 The Whitehall Foundation Research Grant Award
- 2012 The Sontag Foundation Distinguished Scientist Award
- 2010 Keystone Symposia Scholarship, Cilia Signaling and Human Disease, Monterey, California
- 2008 Excellence in Pediatric Basic Research Award, Society for Neuro-Oncology
- 2008 Best Presentation Award, Korean Life Scientists in Bay Area – Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Joint Symposium
- 2005 Mark Linder/American Brain Tumor Association Fellowship
- 2003 Excellence in Graduate Research Award, Institute for Cell and Developmental Biology, SUNY at Stony Brook, New York
Selected Publications
Mann B*, Crawford JC*, Reddy K, Lott J, Youn YH, Gao G, Guy C, Chou CH, Darnell D, Trivedi S, Bomme P, Loughran AJ, Thomas PG, Han YG**†, Tuomanen EI**†. Bacterial TLR2/6 Ligands Block Ciliogenesis, Derepress Hedgehog Signaling, and Expand the Neocortex. mBio Apr 13;e0051023, 2023. DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00510-23
*Co-first authors; **Equal senior authorship; †Co-Corresponding authors
Wang L, Park JY, Liu F, Olesen K, Hou S, Peng JC, Infield J, Levesque AC, Wang YD, Jin H, Fan Y, Connelly JP, Pruett-Miller SM, Hu MG, Hinds PW, Han YG. A kinase-independent function of cyclin-dependent kinase 6 promotes outer radial glia expansion and neocortical folding. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Sep 20;119(38):e2206147119, 2022. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2206147119 Epub 2022 Sep 12. PMCID: PMC9499540
Youn YH, Hou S, Wu C-C, Kawauchi D, Orr BA, Robinson GW, Finkelstein D, Taketo MM, Gilbertson RJ, Roussel MF, Han YG. Primary cilia control translation and the cell cycle in medulloblastoma. Genes Dev 36(11-12):737-751. DOI: 10.1101/gad.349596.122. Epub 2022 Jul 7.PMID: 35798383
Hou S, Ho W-L, Wang L, Kuo B, Park JY, Han YG. Biphasic roles of hedgehog signaling in the production and self-renewal of outer radial glia in the ferret cerebral cortex. Cerebral Cortex 31(10):4730-4741, 2021.
Hou S, Ho WL, Wang L, Kuo B, Park JY, Han YG. Biphasic Roles of Hedgehog Signaling in the Production and Self-Renewal of Outer Radial Glia in the Ferret Cerebral Cortex. Cereb Cortex Aug 26;31(10):4730-4741, 2021.
Garcia ADR, Han YG, Triplett JW, Farmer WT, Harwell CC, Ihrie RA. The Elegance of Sonic Hedgehog: Emerging Novel Functions for a Classic Morphogen. J Neurosci 38(44):9338-9345, 2018.
Youn YH, Han YG. Primary cilia in brain development and diseases. Am J Pathol 188(1):11-22, 2018. (Invited review)
Wu CC, Hou S, Orr BA, Kuo BR, Youn YH, Ong T, Roth F, Eberhart CG, Robinson GW, Solecki DJ, Taketo MM, Gilbertson RJ, Roussel MF, Han YG. mTORC1-mediated inhibition of 4EBP1 is essential for Hedgehog signaling-driven translation and medulloblastoma. Dev Cell Dec 18;43(6):673-688.e5, 2017.
Wang L, Hou S, Han YG. Corrigendum: Hedgehog signaling promotes basal progenitor expansion and the growth and folding of the neocortex. Nat Neurosci Aug 1;19(8):1115, 2016.
Han YG. Sonic hedgehog signaling: A conserved mechanism for the expansion of outer radial glia and intermediate progenitor cells and for the growth and folding of the neocortex. Neurogenesis 3:e1242957, 2016.
Campos Y, Qiu X, Gomero E, Wakefield R, Horner L, Brutkowski W, Han YG, Solecki D, Frase S, Bongiovanni A, d'Azzo A. Alix-mediated assembly of the actomyosin-tight junction polarity complex preserves epithelial polarity and epithelial barrier. Nat Commun 7:11876, 2016.
Wang L, Hou S, Han YG. Hedgehog signaling promotes basal progenitor expansion and the growth and folding of the neocortex. Nat Neurosci 19(7):888-96, 2016. Faculty of 1000 rated “Exceptional”
Vo BT, Wolf E, Kawauchi D, Gebhardt A, Rehg JE, Finkelstein D, Walz S, Murphy BL, Youn YH, Han YG, Eilers M, Roussel MF. The Interaction of Myc with Miz1 Defines Medulloblastoma Subgroup Identity. Cancer Cell 29(1):5-16, 2016.
Tong CK, Han YG, Shah JK, Obernier K, Guinto CD, Alvarez-Buylla A. Primary cilia are required in a unique subpopulation of neural progenitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111(34):12438-43, 2014.
Marada S, Stewart DP, Bodeen WJ, Han YG, Ogden SK. The unfolded protein response selectively targets active smoothened mutants. Mol Cell Biol 33(12):2375-2387, 2013.
Venere M, Han YG, Bell R, Song JS, Alvarez-Buylla A, Blelloch R. Sox1 marks an activated neural stem/progenitor cell in the hippocampus. Development Nov;139(21):3938-49, 2012.
Guirao B, Meunier A, Mortaud S, Aguilar A, Corsi JM, Strehl L, Hirota Y, Desoeuvre A, Boutin C, Han YG, Mirzadeh Z, Cremer H, Montcouquiol M, Sawamoto K, Spassky N. Coupling between hydrodynamic forces and planar cell polarity orients mammalian motile cilia. Nat Cell Biol Apr;12(4):341-50, 2010.
Han YG, Alvarez-Buylla A. Role of Primary Cilia in Brain Development and Cancer. Curr Opin Neurobiol Feb;20(1):58-67, 2010.
Mirzadeh Z, Han YG, Soriano-Navarro M, García-Verdugo JM, Alvarez-Buylla A. Cilia regulate planar cell polarity of ependymal cells. J Neurosci Feb 17;30(7):2600-10. 2010.
Han YG, Kim HJ, DlugoszAA, EllisonDW, Gilbertson RJ, and Alvarez-BuyllaA. Dual and opposing roles of primary cilia in medulloblastoma development. Nat Med Sep;15(9):1062-5, 2009. Preview Article: Two sides to cilia in cancer, Nat Med 15(9):994-996. Research Highlight: Tail Wags Dog: Primary Cilia and Tumorigenesis, Cancer Cell 16:277-278, 2009. Research Highlight: The Cilium as a Moving Target for Cancer Therapy, Science Signaling 2(88):ec308, 2009. Research Highlight: Tumorigenesis: No frills attached, Nat Rev Cancer 9(10):685. Faculty of 1000 rated “Recommended”
Schüller U, Heine VM, Mao J, Kho AT, Dillon AK, Han YG, Huillard E, Sun T, Ligon AH, Qian Y, Ma Q, Alvarez-Buylla A, McMahon AP, Rowitch DH, Ligon KL. Acquisition of granule neuron precursor identity is a critical determinant of progenitor cell competence to form Hedgehog-induced medulloblastoma. Cancer Cell Aug 12;14(2):123-134, 2008.
Spassky N*, Han YG*, Aguilar A, Strehl L, Besse L, Laclef C, Ros MR, Garcia-Verdugo JM, Alvarez-Buylla A. Primary cilia are required for cerebellar development and Shh-dependent expansion of progenitor pool. Dev Biol May 1;317(1):246-59, 2008. *Equal contribution.
Han YG, Spassky N, Romaguera-Ros M, Garcia-Verdugo JM, Aguilar A, Schneider-Maunoury S, Alvarez-Buylla A. Hedgehog signaling and primary cilia are required for the formation of adult neural stem cells. Nat Neurosci Mar;11(3):277-84, 2008. Featured in a New York Times article “Antenna on Cell Surface Is Key to Development and Disease” May 18 2009. Faculty of 1000 rated “Recommended”
Han YG, Kwok BH, Kernan MJ. Intraflagellar transport is required in Drosophila to differentiate sensory cilia but not sperm. Curr Biol Sep 30;13(19):1679-86, 2003. Preview Article: Cell Motility: Deaf Drosophila Keep the Beat, Curr Biol 13(20):R796-R798, 2003. Faculty of 1000 rated “Must Read”
Chung YD, Zhu J, Han Y, Kernan MJ. nompA encodes a PNS-specific, ZP domain protein required to connect mechanosensory dendrites to sensory structures. Neuron Feb;29(2):415-28, 2001.
Han YG, Kang SS, Seong JY, Geum D, Suh YH, Kim K. Negative regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor gene expression by a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist in the rat hypothalamus. J Neuroendocrinol Mar;11(3):195-201, 1999.
Seong JY, Kang SS, Kam K, Han YG, Kwon HB, Ryu K, Kim K. Differential regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor expression in the posterior mediobasal hypothalamus by steroid hormones: implication of GnRH neuronal activity. Brain Res Mol Brain Res Jan;53(1-2):226-35, 1998.
Book Chapters
Hou S, Han YG. Primary cilia and brain cancer. In Cilia and Nervous System Development & Function (Caspary T, Tucker KL Eds). Springer, 209-228, 2013.
Han YG, Alvarez-Buylla A. Primary Cilia as Switches in Brain Development and Cancer. In Two Faces of Evil: Cancer and Neurodegeneration (Curran T, Christen Y Eds). Springer, 73-82, 2011.
Mirzadeh Z, Han YG, Garcia-Verdugo JM, Alvarez-Buylla A. Epithelial Organization of Adult Neurogenic Germinal Niche. In Neurogenesis in the Adult Brain 1 (Seki T, Swamoto K, Parent JM, Alvarez-Buylla A Eds). Sringer, 287-317, 2011.
Last update: September 2023