Sangkyu Lee Lab @ibs

Sangkyu Lee Lab / Biomolecular Design Lab

Research

We design molecular technologies to visualize, control, and remodel cellular communication in the brain.

01 / Research philosophy

How We Engineer the Brain

  1. 01

    Visualize

    See the invisible.

    We develop genetically encoded tools to visualize molecular, synaptic, and cellular dynamics in the living brain.

    • SynapShot
    • Molecular biosensors
    • Synaptic dynamics
  2. 02

    Control

    Control with precision.

    We develop molecular optogenetic technologies to manipulate specific biological processes with high spatial and temporal precision.

    • Molecular Optogenetics

      Activation
      OptoSTIM1 · monSTIM1 · AAV-monSTIM1 · OptoSTING
      Inhibition
      LARIAT · mRNA-LARIAT
  3. 03

    Remodel

    Reshape connectivity.

    We develop synthetic systems to selectively remodel synaptic connections and investigate how circuit structure shapes brain function.

    • SynTrogo
    • Connectome editing
    • Synaptic remodeling

02 / Across scales

From Molecules
to Behavior

Our research spans multiple scales of brain organization — from engineered proteins and intracellular signaling to cell–cell interactions, synaptic connectivity, neural circuits, and behavior.

  1. Molecule

    Protein Engineering

  2. Cell

    Intracellular Signaling

  3. Interaction

    Neuron–Glia Communication

  4. Synapse

    Synaptic Plasticity

  5. Circuit

    Neural Connectivity

  6. Behavior

    Memory & Cognition

03 / Molecular toolbox

Our Technologies

  1. SynTrogo

    Remodeling synaptic connectivity

    SynTrogo engineers neuron–astrocyte interactions to induce controlled remodeling of synaptic connectivity in targeted neural circuits.

    View publication
    Conceptual illustration of SynTrogo; not experimental imaging data.
    SynTrogo · Remodeling synaptic connectivity

  2. SynapShot

    Watching synapses change in real time

    View publication
    Conceptual illustration of SynapShot; not experimental imaging data.
    SynapShot · Visualizing dynamic synaptic connections in vivo, in real time

  3. Molecular Optogenetics

    We develop molecular optogenetic technologies to manipulate specific biological processes with high spatial and temporal precision.

    Activation
    OptoSTIM1 · monSTIM1
    Inhibition
    LARIAT

    OptoSTIM1

    OptoSTIM1 / View publication monSTIM1 / View publication AAV-monSTIM1 / View publication
    Conceptual illustration of OptoSTIM1; not experimental imaging data.
    OptoSTIM1 · Light-controlled calcium signaling

    OptoSTING

    View publication
    Conceptual illustration of OptoSTING; not experimental imaging data.
    OptoSTING · Light-controlled innate immune signaling

    LARIAT

    View publication
    Conceptual illustration of LARIAT; not experimental imaging data.
    LARIAT · Light-induced protein clustering for functional inhibition