Genetic Studies in Model Organisms: From Classical to Modern Genetics

Kwang-Wook Choi is an active Emeritus Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). He has BS in microbial genetics from Seoul National University and PhD in Biochemistry from Princeton University, where he learned Drosophila neurogenetics from Chip Quinn. As a postdoctoral fellow, he studied eye development in Drosophila with Seymour Benzer at Caltech. He joined the faculty in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine. After 14 years at Baylor, he returned to Korea as Chair of the Bio-Department at KAIST. Over 30 years, his research area has covered a broad range of cell and developmental biology in Drosophila. His work has contributed to understanding the molecular genetic basis of pattern formation, cell polarity, and cell fate specification in the developing eye and various organs. Using Drosophila as a model organism for human genetic diseases, he extended his studies to dissecting genetic pathways for growth control genes. He received the Michael DeBakey Award for Excellence in Research at Baylor. He served as Chair of the Asia-Pacific Drosophila Board and organized the Asia-Pacific Drosophila Research Conference in Seoul to promote interactions among international Drosophila communities.