The main research interest of our group is developing new single-molecule and single-cell imaging techniques for investigating various biological phenomena. We are using single-molecule FRET, single-vesicle assay, single-protein detection in a living cell, real-time single-protein tracking, and super-resolution imaging. Using these techniques, we are directly visualizing the cellular processes, such as transcriptional dynamics and the movement of DNA, in a living cell. We are also heavily investigating membrane protein interactions and their diffusional mode in a living cell. Not only the living cell system, we are also studying protein-DNA interactions at the single-molecule level. Finally, we are studying the molecular mechanism of Parkinson’s disease based on the interactions between alpha-Synuclein and SNARE-proteins

• Ph.D. Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, 2005
• M.S. Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, 2000
• B.S. Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, 1998

• Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, 2017-Present
• Associate Professor, Department of Physics & School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, Korea, 2013-2017
• Assistant Professor, Department of Physics & School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, Korea, 2009-2013
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA, 2006-2008
• Visiting Scientist, U. C. Los Angeles, California, USA, 2002-2003

1. "Single-molecule observation of ATP-independent SSB displacement by RecO in Deinococcus radiodurans", J. Hwang, J.-Y. Kim, C. Kim, S. park, S. Joo, S. K. Kim*, N. K. Lee*, eLife, 2020, 9, e50945.
2. "Transcription and translation contribute to gene locus relocation to the nucleoid periphery in E.coli.” S. Yang, S. H. Kim, D.-K. Kim, H. J. An, J. B. Son, A. H. Gynnå, N. K. Lee, Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 5131.
3. “Dynamic release of bending stress in short dsDNA by a kink and forks”, C. Kim, O. Lee, J.-Y. Kim, W. Sung, N. K. Lee, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 31, 8943-8947.
4. “Real-time submillisecond single-molecule FRET dynamics of freely diffusing molecules with liposome tethering”, J.-Y. Kim, C. Kim, N. K. Lee, Nat. Commun. 2015, 6, 6992.
5. “Contribution of RNA polymerase concentration variation to protein expression noise”, S. Yang, S. H. Kim, Y. R. Lim, C. H. Kim, H. J. An, J-H Kim, J. Sung,* N. K Lee*, Nat. Commun. 2014, 5, 4761.
6. “Large α-Synuclein oligomers inhibit neuronal SNARE-mediated vesicle docking”, B. K Choi, M. G. Choi, J. Y. Kim, Y. Yang, Y. Lai, D. H. Kweon, N. K. Lee,* Y. K. Shin*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2013, 110, 4087-4092.