Shaped by a lifelong curiosity about the brain and a drive to make a tangible impact in medicine, Dr. Haneui Bae investigates the mechanisms and implications of liver dysfunctions in myotonic dystrophy. Recently, she received a two-year fellowship from the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation to support her research.
Dr. Bae’s passion for neuroscience first emerged in high school after reading In Search of Memory by Dr. Eric Kandel, a book that explores the biological basis of learning and memory. Inspired by the insight that memory is a physical process encoded in our neurons—something that can be studied and potentially repaired when things go wrong—she pursued a PhD in molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University. There she conducted research in the molecular mechanisms of brain development, focusing on how neural circuits form during early life.
Although Bae enjoyed the intellectual challenge of academic research, her desire to make a more immediate patient impact prompted her to first pursue a career in industry. She joined Tevard Biosciences, a biotechnology company developing RNA-based therapies for rare genetic disorders. At Tevard, she worked on treatments for Dravet Syndrome, a severe form of childhood epilepsy caused by mutations in the SCN1A gene.
“It was incredibly rewarding to be part of a team working on real therapies,” Bae said. “We weren’t just uncovering mechanisms; we were designing interventions that could change lives.”
When her husband’s job brought them to Illinois, she saw an opportunity to return to academia while still pursuing clinically relevant research. She joined the lab of biochemistry professor Auinash Kalsotra to study how myotonic dystrophy affects the liver—an underexplored aspect of the disease that has critical implications for drug metabolism and treatment effectiveness.
“Myotonic dystrophy is typically thought of as a muscular disorder, but we’re learning that it also disrupts liver function in ways that could impact how patients respond to medication,” she said.
“Understanding these effects is key to developing better treatments, not just for this disease but potentially for other RNA-based disorders as well.”
Dr. Bae’s background in both academia and industry has given her a valuable perspective on different career paths in biomedical research.
“A lot of young scientists feel like they have to choose one or the other—academia or industry—as if they’re completely separate worlds,” she says. “But in reality, there’s a lot of crossover. The skills you develop in one can be incredibly valuable in the other.”
She credits Dr. Kalsotra’s mentorship as instrumental in shaping her research approach and career trajectory. The fellowship from the foundation will provide her with resources to explore how RNA-based interventions could address the systemic effects of myotonic dystrophy.
Outside the lab, Dr. Bae finds balance through aerial arts, a passion she discovered while living in Boston.
“I started taking classes just for fun, but it quickly became something I really loved,” she said. “There’s something about the combination of strength, flexibility, and creativity that makes it incredibly rewarding.” Now in Champaign, she continues to practice aerial as an essential outlet for stress relief and self-expression.
Looking ahead, Dr. Bae said she is eager to contribute to the growing field of RNA-based therapeutics, with a focus on bridging the gap between basic research and clinical applications. She believes RNA medicine holds immense potential, as already seen with mRNA vaccines and breakthroughs on the horizon for antisense oligonucleotides to treat genetic disorders. And she is driven by the opportunity to be part of the next wave of discoveries that could revolutionize the field.
