Hyejung Won

Hyejung Won, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Her research focuses on decoding chromatin architecture and its role in neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly using Hi-C technology to study 3D genome organization in human brain tissues. She investigates how genetic variants associated with conditions like ALS, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders impact neurobiological mechanisms. Dr. Won’s work bridges genetic risk factors and molecular pathways, aiming to identify therapeutic targets.

Her lab has received grants, including a 2025 seed grant from the ALS Association for studying C9orf72-mediated ALS through chromatin mechanisms. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, such as the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, and has supervised students like Marielle Bond, who won a 2023 Three Minute Thesis award.

Key research interests include functional genomics, chromatin looping abnormalities in diseases, and the interplay between non-coding variants and brain disorders. Dr. Won’s recent publications highlight advances in Hi-C analysis, massively parallel reporter assays, and the genetic underpinnings of shared psychiatric risks.

• Awards: ALS Association Seed Grant (2025)
• Labs/Teams: Focus on chromatin architecture and psychiatric genetics
• Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed papers, including high-impact work on schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, and neurodevelopmental disorders