Byung Ran Ranny So

Byung Ran Ranny So is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her research investigates RNA-binding proteins and their role in non-coding RNA–protein complex biogenesis and gene regulation. She has held positions at the University of Pennsylvania (2010–2020) and LG Chem (2002–2004), following academic training at Sungkyunkwan University (BS/MS) and The Ohio State University (PhD).

• PhD in Biological Chemistry (2010), The Ohio State University
• MS in Chemistry (2002) and BS in Chemistry (2000), Sungkyunkwan University

Her research focuses on:

• Biogenesis of snRNP complexes
• snRNP functions in cancer
• Small signaling molecules in RNA processing
• High-throughput small-molecule screening
• RNA-protein tools for gene therapy

Recent publications examine U1 snRNP regulation of transcription, RNA-protein interactions in gene expression, and applications in 3D bioprinting. She has secured federal funding from the NIH and mentors graduate/undergraduate researchers in RNA biology and biochemical techniques.

• National Institutes of Health grant ($422,522, 2023–2026)
• NIH scholarship ($56,923, 2024–2025)
• UTA microplastics exposure assessment grant ($16,000, 2023–2024)

Dr. So teaches courses in biochemistry, organic chemistry, and advanced lab techniques while advising doctoral dissertation committees and developing online tools for active learning in biochemical subjects like Structural Biology and Medicinal Chemistry.