Profile
Moving from wet-lab immunology into computational neuroscience. I build methods that infer cellular identity, state, and interaction from large, incomplete single-cell and spatial data. Research objective: connect molecular cell identity to circuit structure and function by integrating connectomics with transcriptomics, growing into connectome-constrained circuit models.
Selected Publications
18 total
17 peer-reviewed
6 first / co-first
1 under review
01Reyes M*, Yagami L*, Alvarez T*, et al. "Conserved PDE9X short-isoform bias defines pathogenic Th1.17 state across human inflammatory diseases." Nature Immunology IF 27.7 · under review (2026). UMI-aware BAM-level isoform analysis; scRNA + scTCR + snATAC integration; ML classifier AUC 0.812; 702 samples, 251,055 CD4⁺ T cells.
02Yagami L*, Tanaka Y*, Truong P*, et al. "Immune cell-enriched scRNA-seq unveils infiltrated CD8⁺ T resident memory cells and meningeal lymphatic endothelium in Parkinson's disease." Journal of Neuroimmunology IF 2.9 · 2025. 9,240 cells, 8 immune populations.
03Yagami L*, Delgado J*, Moreau S, et al. "Deciphering Dysfunctional Regulatory T Cells in Vitiligo." Allergy IF 12.6 · 2025.
04Alvarez J*, Yagami L*, et al. "Long-term control of diabetes by a baricitinib-based regimen after allo-islet transplantation in rhesus monkeys." Xenotransplantation IF 3.9 · 2024.
05Novak L*, Yagami L*, et al. "Intra-tumoral heterogeneity and immune escape of melanoma from chronic UV photodamage by spatial gene expression." JEADV IF 9.2 · 2022.
06Yagami L*, et al. "mTOR inhibitor-based immunosuppression in allogeneic islet transplantation." Islets IF 2.2 · 2019. Co-author: eBioMedicine (2024), JEADV (2024), Curr. Diabetes Reports (2021).
Experience
Postdoctoral Researcher
2025–2026
Nakdong University Wonju College of Medicine · Physiology
Deep-learning multimodal-integration models fusing imaging, transcriptomic, and clinical data into single predictive models.
Associate Director
2023–2025
Meridian Immune Therapeutics Inc. · Basic Research
Built in-house single-cell and spatial transcriptomics code from scratch; led NHP (cynomolgus, marmoset) EAE/MS multi-omic studies; oversaw regulatory documentation for an anti-CD25 humanized-antibody program.
Xenotransplantation Research Center, HNU
Rhesus macaque tissue processing, longitudinal immune monitoring, CNS tissue handling.
Research Student, MOSAIC
2020–2023
Multi-Organ Single-cell Atlas of Immune Cells, HNU
Founding proposal; executed within the funded program (500+ donors × 6 organs): milestone tracking, multi-site QC, multi-PI coordination.
Education
Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences
2014–2023
Hangang National University
Mapping Dendritic Cell Heterogeneity Across Chronic Inflammatory Contexts. Advisor: Min-Ho Suh.
M.S., Biomedical Sciences
2012–2014
Hangang National University
Enhanced LPS-Induced Monocyte Activation by Recombinant Human Soluble CD180.
B.S., Genetic Engineering
2008–2012
Suwon Institute of Life Sciences · Suwon
Technical Skills
Single-cell / spatial / multi-omic
scRNA-seqscTCR-seqsnRNA / snATAC
SeuratScanpySquidpyMonocle3
CellChat / NicheNetscVI / scANVIconsensus NMF
UMI-aware BAM isoform code (Python)MiloGLIPH
InferCNVGeoMx DSPOlink
Machine learning / DL / AI
Pythonscikit-learnXGBoost / LightGBM / CatBoost
PyTorchAUC-validated classifiersVAE / GAN / GNN
multimodal DL integrationAlphaFold2/3ProteinMPNN
DiffDockLinux · R · Git
Experimental (domain ground truth)
10x 5′/3′ scRNA + scTCR librariesflow cytometry (24 markers)
brain / CNS immune profilingIHC / IFtwo-photon microscopy
NHP CNS tissueEAE/MS & islet-transplant models
Awards & Patents
- Antagonistic Anti-CD25 Humanized Antibody (Patent)2024
- Immunosuppression Composition w/ PI3K Inhibitor (Patent)2019
- Grand Prize, AI Builders Hackathon (Project Nova)2024
- Grand Prize, Metro Innovation Workathon2023
- Best Poster, American Transplant Congress (Chicago)2017
- NRF Ph.D. Scholarship · BK21 Plus · HNU Dean's2014–20
Scientific Interests
single-cell & spatial multi-omics
cell-type inference from incomplete data
self-supervised / embedding learning
connectome × transcriptomics
computational neuroimmunology
reproducible ML/DL analysis
References
Min-Ho Suh, M.D., Ph.D.
HNU College of Medicine; CEO/CSO, Meridian Immune. Ph.D. advisor.
mhsuh@hangang.ac.kr
Ji-Won Baek, M.D., Ph.D.
HNU, Microbiology & Immunology / IBRI. Computational co-corresponding.
jwbaek@hangang.ac.kr