MEMBERS
Heejin Yoo, Ph.D.
Principle Investigator
Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University (2019-)
Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University (2014-2019)
Ph,D., Purdue University (2008-2014)
B.S., Seoul National University (2004-2008)
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Kelsey Crutison
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hello, I am an undergraduate student at Oklahoma Student University. I am a junior student. I changed my major from computer science to plant biology: pre-pharmacy. I joined Yoo lab as an undergraduate research assistant in September of 2019. I’m excited to start doing research in Yoo Lab. I enjoy playing golf, and my future goals is to be able to practice pharmaceuticals.

Zoe Siebert
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hello, I am an undergraduate student at Oklahoma State University. I am a freshman majoring in Plant Biology: Pre-Pharmacy and minoring in Spanish. I joined Yoo lab as an undergraduate research assistant in September of 2019. I received the Freshman Research Scholars scholarship which has allowed me to become apart of and help conduct research in Yoo Lab.


Hello, I am an undergraduate student in the Department of Integrative Biology at Oklahoma Student University. I am a junior majoring in biology with a minor in microbiology. I joined the Yoo lab in the Spring of 2020 and am looking forward to working in the lab and learning more about plant biology. After graduation, I’m hoping to pursue a career in pathogenic research.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Emma Philbin

Stephanie C. Stephenson
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hello, I am an undergraduate student at Oklahoma State University. I joined Yoo lab in the Fall semester of 2020.
ALUMNI
Yoo Laboratory at Okstate
Plant Metabolism and Immunity
MEMBERS
Amanda Navodani
Graduate Student, MS in Plant Biology
since 2021 Spring


Rabia Ahuja
Graduate Student, MS in Plant Biology
since 2021 Spring


Kelsey Crutison
Undergraduate Research Assistant since 2019 Fall
Zoe Siebert
Undergraduate Research Assistant since 2019 Fall


Rachel Crittell
Emma Philbin

Megan Adler

Stephanie C. Stephenson
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019 Fall,
2020 Spring and 2021 Spring
Undergraduate Research Assistant since 2020 Spring
Undergraduate Research Assistant since 2020 Fall
Undergraduate Research Assistant since 2020 Fall

Ryan Lundy
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2021 Spring
ALUMNI

Maddi Evans
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2020 Fall

Eli Valentine
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2020 Spring and Fall
Department of Integrative Biology
Department of Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution
Heejin Yoo, Ph.D.
Principle Investigator
Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University (2019-)
Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University (2014-2019)
Ph,D., Purdue University (2008-2014)
B.S., Seoul National University (2004-2008)
​

2019 Fall semester

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2020 Spring semester



2020 Fall semester







Research
Plant Metabolism and Immunity
We are interested in studying the dynamic regulation of plant metabolism and immunity for balancing plant growth and defense. Our research is focused on how plants coordinate metabolic pathways and defense mechanisms to optimize plant growth and defense. Since plants do not have specialized immune cells, plants need to allocate their energy and resource properly to either growth or defense depending on environmental conditions. Our research is to understand the underlying mechanisms through transcriptional and translational regulation, and metabolic dynamics during plant innate immunity. This research will ultimately enhance our knowledge of molecular mechanisms and interactions between defense signaling and metabolic regulation to optimize or maximize crop yield and disease resistance. Specifically, projects in our lab include; 1) Global translatome analysis using ribosome profiling during plant systemic immunity, 2) Functional analysis of metabolic pathways during plant immune response, and 3) the role helper NB-LRR for plant immune mechanisms.
Global Translatome analysis using ribosome profiling during plant systemic immunity
Functional analysis of metabolic pathways during plant immune response
The role of helper NB-LRR for plant immune mechanisms
Publications
January 6, 2020
Yoo H*, Greene GH*, Yuan M*, Xu G, Burton D, Liu L, Marqués J and Dong X. (2020) Molecular Plant
*Co-first authors
May 17, 2017
Xu G*, Greene GH*, Yoo H*, Liu L, Marqués J, Motley J and Dong X. (2017) Nature 545:487–490
*Co-first authors
September 10, 2015
Widhalm JR, Gutensohn M, Yoo H, Adebesin F, Qian Y, Longyun G, Rohit J, Joseph HL, McCoy RM, Shreve JT, Thimmapuram J, Rhodes D, Morgan JA, and Dudareva N. (2015) Nat. Comm. 6:8142
July 28, 2015
Zheng XY*, Zhou M*, Yoo H*, Pruneda-Paz JL, Spivey NW, Kay SA and Dong X. (2015) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 112:9166-9173
*Co-first authors
November 23, 2013
Yoo H, Widhalm J, Qian Y, Maeda H, Cooper BR, Jannasch AS, Gonda I, Lewinsohn E, Rhodes D, and Dudareva N. (2013) Nat. Comm. 4:2833
January, 2011
Maeda H, Yoo H, and Doudareva N. (2011) Nat. Chem. Biol. 7:19-21.
July 1, 2010
Ganguly A, Lee SH, Cho MS, Lee OR, Yoo H, and Cho HT. (2010) Plant Physiol. 153:1046-1061
News
2021.04.08
Zoe Siebert has received the 2021 Women's Faculty Council Student Research Award. Congratulations!
2021.04.05
Dr. Yoo has received the 2021 Arthur C. Neish Young Investigator Award from Phytochemical Society of North America (PSNA). Congratulations!
2021.04.01
Dr. Yoo has received the 2021 ICAR Early Career Award from The North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee (NAASC). Congratulations!
2021.03.26
Dr. Yoo’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Student Technology Fee proposal has been selected for funding from CAS, Oklahoma State University. This grant will be used to establish the Volatile Collection System to analyze volatile organic compounds from plants. Congratulations!
2021.03.24
Dr. Yoo's FY22 College of Arts and Sciences Research (ASR) Program proposal was selected for funding. Congratulations!
2021.03.03
Rachel Crittell has been awarded the PBEE Undergraduate Scholarship. Congratulations!
2021.02.28
2021.01.19
Rabia Ahuja and Amanda Navodani join the lab as the First Graduate Students.
Ryan Lundy joins the lab as an Undergraduate Research Assistant.
Welcome to the Yoo lab!
Rachel Crittell re-joins the lab as an Undergraduate Research Assistant. Welcome back!
2020.08.17
Megan Adler, Maddi Evans, and Stephanie C. Stephenson join the lab as Undergraduate Research Assistants. Welcome to the Yoo lab!
2020.05.08
Rachel Crittell has received Deacon Bill Dunbar Memorial Scholarship. Congratulations!
2020.04.07
Zoe Siebert has received Library Research Award. Congratulations!
2020.01.21
Emma Philbin joins the lab as Undergraduate Research Assistants. Welcome to the Yoo lab!
2020.01.13
Eli Valentine joins the lab as Undergraduate Research Assistants. Welcome to the Yoo lab!
2019.12.05
Dr. Yoo has received FY 2020 Spring Travel Award from the CAS, Oklahoma State University. Congratulations!
2019.09.13
Rachel Crittell and Zoe Siebert join the lab as Freshmen Research Scholars. Welcome to the Yoo lab!
2019.09.01
Kelsey Crutison joins the lab as the FIRST Undergraduate Research Assistant. Welcome to the Yoo lab!
2019.08.16
First day of the Yoo lab!

Positions Available
The laboratory of Dr. Heejin Yoo is seeking highly motivated undergraduate students, graduate students, and lab technician. The research in Yoo lab is to understand molecular mechanisms of how plants control translational regulation and metabolic dynamics during plant innate immunity. We will explore novel genes and defense mechanisms linked to the regulation of metabolic pathways, which will be applied to crop plants to improve disease resistance and yield.
Undergraduate Researchers
Please contact Dr. Yoo directly (heejin.yoo@okstate.edu) with the attachment of a CV.
​
Graduate Students
Please contact Dr. Yoo directly (heejin.yoo@okstate.edu) with the attachment of a CV and a statement of your research experience/accomplishment.
​
Lab Technician
Please contact Dr. Yoo directly (heejin.yoo@okstate.edu) with the attachment of a CV and a statement of your research experience/accomplishment including Laboratory Experience and Skills.
Contact Us
Department of Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution
Oklahoma State University
301 Physical Sciences, Stillwater, OK 74078-3103
Research Lab: PS 308
Office: PS 423
Phone: 405-744-4742