Postdoctoral researcher Yuri Hong, in the research group of Anthony Hyman at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), received a Cross-Disciplinary Fellowship from the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP). With her project “Mesoscale and Microscale Organization in C. elegans embryo,” she joins this year’s 50 pioneering postdoctoral scientists from 25 nations.
Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships are awarded to applicants who hold a doctoral degree from a non-biological discipline (e.g., physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, or computer sciences) and who have not worked in the life sciences before. Together with the HFSP Long-Term Fellowships, they foster the next generation of life science research, last for three years, and on average provide $200,000 USD in total. Fellows work in the laboratory of a host scientist in a country that is different from where their Ph.D. was conferred.
Yuri received her doctoral degree in the area of chemistry from the Pohang University of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea. Her funded project focuses on the internal organization of cells. A key aspect of this process is known as “polarity,” which refers to the way cells establish distinct regions with different molecular compositions. This is crucial for many cellular activities, such as division, movement, and development.
“I am studying these processes in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, which shares many biological mechanisms with humans. During early development, C. elegans embryos create a “polarity” that determines the future organization of cells. The protein MEX-5 plays a central role in this process by forming two different regions within the cell: high concentration in the anterior (front) and low concentration in the posterior (back),” explains Yuri Hong and continues, “My project explores how MEX-5 clusters form and contribute to cellular polarity. Using advanced imaging and in vitro techniques, I want to understand the mechanics of cluster formation and function. My work could have potential implications for disease treatment and contribute to a more profound understanding of the fundamental principles that make life possible.”
HFSP news article: https://www.hfsp.org/hfsp-news/hfspawardees2025
Fellowship Booklet: https://www.hfsp.org/sites/default/files/FellowshipBooklet_2025_webversion.pdf