Why do some smokers develop chronic lung diseases while others do not? This critical question drives Dr. Yun’s research, focusing on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). These diseases, with differing responses to similar environmental insults, present a complex puzzle. By exploring the heterogeneity of pathophysiology underlying such variations, Dr. Yun aims to unveil insights for treatments that could significantly improve patient outcomes.

Central to her exploration is the interplay between various lung and immune cell types. She adopts a variety of approaches, employing animal models of known susceptibility genes, spearheading advanced single-cell/spatial multi-omic profiling of tissues from the Lung Tissue Research Consortium (LTRC) study, and applying novel computational approaches to genetic epidemiological studies in large patient cohorts. This integrative approach enables Dr. Yun to identify key players and pathways pivotal to the onset and development of chronic lung diseases.

Dr Yun’s notable contributions include identifying subgroups of COPD pathologies, such as lymphocytic subtype-driven COPD pathogenesis, and eosinophilic COPD, which formed the basis of a successful clinical trial, underscoring the importance of elucidating the heterogeneity of pathogenesis of COPD. Recently, Dr. Yun’s focus has extended to the interplay between inflammation, somatic mutations, and their effect and signature in chronic lung diseases, which shed novel insights to the pathophysiology of IPF.
With a deeper understanding of the basis of lung disease susceptibility, and identifying key molecular and cellular players driving pathogenesis, Dr. Yun hopes to participate in potential therapeutic breakthroughs for chronic lung disease patients.