Jun-Kyu Byun

Jun-Kyu Byun is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Swarthmore College. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry (ACS Biochemistry Certification) from Purdue University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from The Ohio State University. His teaching includes General Chemistry Lab, Organic Chemistry II Lab, Biological Chemistry lectures/labs, and advanced topics in Biochemistry.

Research in the Byun lab centers on proofreading mechanisms of Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), with emphasis on ProXp-ala trans-editing domains. Current work characterizes plant-specific C-terminal domains using biochemical and structural techniques to understand their role in tRNA binding and error correction during protein synthesis. This research addresses fundamental questions about translational fidelity and its implications for cellular health.

The single recent publication (2022) explores structural and functional aspects of plant-exclusive domains in trans-editing enzymes, demonstrating expertise in protein-tRNA interactions.

No awards, grants, or supervised students are detailed in available materials.