MeeJung Ko

Dr. MeeJung Ko is a passionate and experienced neuroscientist with a strong background in cell biology and pharmacology. She received her PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology from Purdue University, where she investigated mechanisms of opioid receptor signaling in anxiety, fear, and pain-related behaviors. She then completed her postdoctoral training at UC Berkeley, where she studied the cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of psychedelic compounds on oligodendrocyte function and dynamics. Throughout her training, she received numerous research and teaching awards and authored 22 peer-reviewed publications in journals including Science Signaling. At USF, Dr. Ko’s lab will focus on investigating how drugs shape the structural and functional dynamics of neuron–glial interactions using human stem cell-derived models.

• Fluorescence and calcium imaging
• Human stem cell-based models and assays
• Oligodendrocyte biology and myelin plasticity
• Computational image analysis

• Neuropharmacology
• GPCR signaling
• Glial biology and function
• Stem cell biology

• Purdue University, PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, 2020
• Konkuk University, MS in Medicine, 2015
• Konkuk University, BS in Biological Sciences, 2013

• Assistant Project Scientist in Neuroscience, UC Berkeley (2026-2026)
• Postdoctoral Research Associate in Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley (2020-2026)

• UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2023-2025
• Linda & Jack Gill Graduate Research Award, 2020
• Purdue University Outstanding Graduate Student in Teaching Award, 2019
• Society for Neuroscience-International Brain Research Organization Travel Award, 2019
• American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Travel Award, 2018

• Muroy SE, Ko MJ, Jaques Y, Kaufer D. "Stress." Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience. OpenStax. 2024.
• Ko MJ, Chiang T, Mukadam AA, Mulia GE, Gutridge AM, Lin A, Chester JA, van Rijn RM. β-Arrestin–dependent ERK signaling reduces anxiety-like and conditioned fear-related behaviors in mice. Science Signaling. 2021.
• Ko MJ^†, Mulia GE^†, van Rijn RM. Commonly used anesthesia/euthanasia methods for brain collection differentially impact MAPK activity in male and female C57BL/6 mice. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 2019. (†Equal Contribution)
• Ko MJ^†, Ganzen LC^†, Coskun E, Mukadam AA, Leung YF, van Rijn RM. A critical evaluation of TRPA1-mediated locomotor behavior in zebrafish as a screening tool for novel anti-nociceptive drug discovery. Scientific Reports. 2019. (†Equal Contribution)
• Kim JW^†, Ko MJ^†, Gonzales EL^†, Kang RJ, Kim DG, Kim Y, Seung H, Oh HA, Eun PH, Shin CY. Social support rescues acute stress-induced cognitive impairments by modulating ERK1/2 phosphorylation in adolescent mice. Scientific Reports. 2018. (†Equal Contribution)