Scholar Profiles
Hosung Lee
2005 - 2006 University Scholar
Mentor: Shalesh Kaushal
College of Medicine
"I hope to find out more about the way in which rhodopsin misfolds or find a way to keep certain mutations of rhodopsin from degrading, which could ultimately help those who suffer from retinitis pigmentosa."
Hosung is a senior majoring in chemistry with a biochemistry focus. He also has a minor in cello performance. Hosung’s academic interests include biochemistry and the humanities. He is president of the University Medical Humanities Club and a member of the University Symphony Orchestra.
Research Description:
Degradation of P23H Mutant Rhodopsin
The lab I work with studies the misfolding of a protein in the photoreceptor cells of the eye called rhodopsin. Many people from all over the world suffer from a disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which is caused by a mutation of rhodopsin and ultimately leads to blindness. The most common mutation in rhodopsin in North America is called P23H rhodopsin. P23H rhodopsin is grown in tissue culture, and there, we attempt to manipulate cellular processes in order to minimize degraded and misfolded rhodopsin and maximize rhodopsin yield. Techniques commonly used for analysis are gel electrophoresis and Western blots.
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