Hayeon Ryou

Hayeon was born in South Korea and moved to Hendersonville, TN in 2011, where she has grown up since. She graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a B.S. in Biochemistry and a Civic and Global Leadership Certificate in the Spring of 2023. Previously, her research focused on investigating the relationship between proteostasis decline and neurodegenerative diseases. She used small particulate matter produced by the combustion of fossil fuels as a source of proteotoxic stress. Besides research, she also worked as a medical intern at a rural, nonprofit clinic in Beersheba Springs, TN. In the Patel lab, Hayeon is working on creating new mutant strains using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. In the future, she is interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Outside the lab, Hayeon enjoys exploring new places and spending time with her friends.