Dae Kwan Ko

Dae Kwan Ko is a Fixed Term Assistant Professor at the Michigan State University-Department of Energy (MSU-DOE) Plant Research Laboratory, the Department of Plant Biology, and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). He employs multi-omics network approaches to study gene regulatory mechanisms in plants, particularly focusing on endoplasmic reticulum stress responses and climate change adaptation.

• PhD in Molecular Biosciences from the University of Texas at Austin (heterosis research in maize)
• Postdoctoral bioinformatics training in the C. Robin Buell Lab at MSU
• Postdoc in the Federica Brandizzi Lab studying ER stress gene regulation

Research Interests
Dae Kwan Ko investigates plant gene networks through a systems-level lens. His work centers on:

• Biological Networks: Exploring gene/protein interactions as social-like systems
• Translational Applications: Applying network insights to climate-resilient crop development
• Stress Mechanisms: Characterizing ER stress responses and their role in plant survival
• Method Development: Creating coexpression network pipelines for non-model species

Article Trends
His publications demonstrate a clear trajectory from hybrid vigor in maize to systems-level characterization of plant stress responses. Key themes include:

• Development of bioinformatics tools for gene discovery
• Integration of multi-omics datasets for functional validation
• Focus on transcriptional regulators in environmental adaptation
• Collaboration with plant defense and bioenergy research communities

Community Involvement
Ko contributes to major initiatives:

• Plant Cell Atlas Consortium: Participated in workshops and symposia
• Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center: Active research funding and contribution
• Gordon Research Conferences: Presenter and participant in plant single-cell approaches

Technical Expertise
His work involves advanced methodologies:

• RNA-seq analysis (including spaceflight datasets)
• ChIP-seq for TF-DNA interaction mapping
• Coexpression network modeling with WGCNA
• Transgenic validation in Arabidopsis and maize

Current Research Funding
His projects are supported by:

• MSU GREEEN Project (Principal Investigator)
• GLBRC through the Brandizzi Lab