Community Spotlight: Kwangmoon Park

Kwangmoon Park, PhD, is a researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics who brings a thoughtful approach to both his work and his collaborations. He recently shared insights into his research, his experience in the DBEI community, and some of the ways he unwinds outside the lab.

Can you tell us about your current research and what inspired you to pursue this area?

I study how genes are controlled by their regulatory elements. My work primarily involves analyzing large-scale single-cell CRISPR screening (Perturb-seq) datasets and developing statistical methods for causal discovery in these datasets, as well as for integrative analyses with other types of single-cell omics or genetics data.

During my PhD, I focused on high-dimensional statistical methods to study the 3D genome structure of cells. While 3D genome data, known as Hi-C, provide valuable insights into gene regulation, I found that Perturb-seq datasets offer even richer information about the directionality of gene interactions. This realization sparked my initial interest in Perturb-seq data, and my growing interest in causal inference has further motivated my current research in this area.

How does your research intersect with real-world challenges?

Broadly speaking, my research is data-driven, and I aim to translate real scientific questions into statistical problems to guide method development. As a result, my work naturally centers around real-world challenges.
More specifically, understanding how genes are regulated by other genomic elements not only deepens our knowledge of the human body but also plays a crucial role in developing treatments for currently incurable diseases. I hope that my research can contribute to these efforts.

What do you find most rewarding about working in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics?

I feel very fortunate to work with my mentor, Dr. Hongzhe Li, and all the members of our lab. The daily discussions with my office mate, Xiaotian, have also been very rewarding. I also appreciate the tremendous support provided by the administrative staff, which is one of the many reasons I enjoy being part of the DBEI.

Can you share a significant recent project, publication, or professional recognition that you are particularly proud of contributing to or achieving? 

Recently, one of my thesis projects on tensor methods was accepted for publication in Biometrika, a prestigious journal in the field of statistics. I am proud of this achievement because I devoted considerable effort to this project, and the skills I developed through it will be valuable for future collaborative research I plan to pursue here.

What advice would you give to students or early-career professionals in your field?

If I were to offer advice to students interested in my field, I would encourage them not to get too frustrated when things don’t go as planned. In fact, things will go off-plan more often than not. Instead, I would emphasize the importance of identifying the specific bottlenecks they encounter. I believe that those frustrating moments are a great opportunity to step back, reorganize, and ultimately make progress toward breakthroughs and innovation.

What is an interest or pastime that you enjoy outside of academia?

I recently enrolled in a swimming class, and I’ve been really enjoying it. Learning something new that I haven’t experienced before is always exciting!

Anything else you’d like to add?

I appreciate the opportunity to be featured in the DBEI Community Spotlight! I also hope to be one of the reasons my colleagues find their experience in this department rewarding.