Yun Dong

I am a post-doctoral medical researcher with a MD degree from abroad who is interested in conducting inter-disciplinary collaborative research in neuroimaging and anti-cancer research. I am open-minded seeking an employment opportunity in the Dept of Neurosurgery for further professional training with the hope of gaining more research experience. I believe that I am detail oriented and hardworking who has been highly motivated in pursuing excellency in medical research. As a result of PhD and long years of post-doctoral training, I have gained hands-on experience in neuroimaging, neuroanatomy and scientific problem solving skills. From the past training and working experience, I have learned to be proactive, reliable and responsible for multiple research task and for dedicated role in team work. I am a friendly person who is willing to accept differences and diversities.

After living in the United States of America for more than 20 years, I am confident in my communication skill with mentors, peers and co-workers in terms of scientific topic and completion of workplace tasks. I believe that I am a quick learner with strong desire to quickly mask new skills, who is also a medical researcher with devotion and a prepared mind to take on challenges in bench to bedside medical research. I am also motivated in continued education and application of medical knowledge and cutting-edge research discoveries to ongoing research projects. I am eager to develop research schemes and seek solutions for existing scientific questions under supervised and self-initiated learning and working experience in basic and clinical research. From past training and working experience, I have developed strong work ethic, adaptability and very good team work skills.

From intensive and dedicated professional training and work in Stroke research utilizing neuroimaging methodologies during PhD course at Kyoto University and post-doctoral training at USC and UCLA, I was able to develop skills in problem solving and have gained the capability in hypothesis testing, designing proper fMRI studies and utilizing systemic approach to answer specific scientific questions pertained to post-stroke neuroplasticity and neurorehabilitation. I am very interested and motivated in participating in clinical studies in Stroke utilizing neuroimaging methodologies so as to be able to re-gain further experience and to contribute to Stroke research.

Starting from 2016, I have developed research interest in GBM immunotherapy. I learned that Dr Liau in the Dept of Neurosurgery at UCLA has been the PI of several leading studies in GBM research. Learning from her unique DCVax method to CAR-T immunotherapy, I started to realize the enormous possibilities of immunotherapy in anti-cancer treatment, especially in a deadly disease like GBM. After self-initiated learning from her publication and similar research work from others, I started to develop research interest in seeking answers for clinical outcome related questions which I believe are worth pursing if I am given the opportunity to be trained and/or work under your supervision. More specifically, a better understanding of individual GBM patient's immunological profile pre-treatment and its fundamental role in response to DCVax which inevitably contribute to individual difference in overall survival rate, is critical in patient stratification. Furthermore, a statistic model generated from combining clinical, biological, genetic and immunological parameters together may help clinicians better stratify patients for optimal treatment option so as to achieve the ultimate goal of improving overall survival rate.

In summary, I am confident in my ability to learn through training and/or working and am highly motivated and interested in GBM immunotherapy.

Neural mechanisms underlying the processing of Chinese words: an fMRI study.

Dong Y, Nakamura K, Okada T, Hanakawa T, Fukuyama H, Mazziotta JC, Shibasaki H.Neurosci Res. 2005 Jun;52(2):139-45. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2005.02.005. Epub 2005 Apr 18.PMID: 15893574

Essential role of the right superior parietal cortex in Japanese kana mirror reading: An fMRI study.

Dong Y, Fukuyama H, Honda M, Okada T, Hanakawa T, Nakamura K, Nagahama Y, Nagamine T, Konishi J, Shibasaki H.Brain. 2000 Apr;123 ( Pt 4):790-9. doi: 10.1093/brain/123.4.790.PMID: 10734010

Atrophy of the corpus callosum, cognitive impairment, and cortical hypometabolism in progressive supranuclear palsy.

Yamauchi H, Fukuyama H, Nagahama Y, Katsumi Y, Dong Y, Konishi J, Kimura J.Ann Neurol. 1997 May;41(5):606-14. doi: 10.1002/ana.410410509.PMID: 9153522 Clinical Trial.

Effect of nicardipine on cerebral blood flow in hypertensive patients with internal carotid artery occlusion: a PET study.

Nagahama Y, Fukuyama H, Yamauchi H, Katsumi Y, Dong Y, Konishi J, Kimura J.J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 1997 Jul-Aug;6(5):325-31. doi: 10.1016/s1052-3057(97)80214-5.PMID: 17895029

Assessment of benzodiazepine receptors using iodine-123-labeled iomazenil single-photon emission computed tomography in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease. A comparison with PET study.

Dong Y, Fukuyama H, Nabatame H, Yamauchi H, Shibasaki H, Yonekura Y.Stroke. 1997 Sep;28(9):1776-82. doi: 10.1161/01.str.28.9.1776.PMID: 9303025

Atrophy of the corpus callosum, cortical hypometabolism, and cognitive impairment in corticobasal degeneration.

Yamauchi H, Fukuyama H, Nagahama Y, Katsumi Y, Dong Y, Hayashi T, Konishi J, Kimura J.Arch Neurol. 1998 May;55(5):609-14. doi: 10.1001/archneur.55.5.609.PMID: 9605717

Atrophy of the corpus callosum associated with cognitive impairment and widespread cortical hypometabolism in carotid artery occlusive disease.

Yamauchi H, Fukuyama H, Nagahama Y, Katsumi Y, Dong Y, Konishi J, Kimura J.Arch Neurol. 1996 Nov;53(11):1103-9. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1996.00550110039011.PMID: 8912483

Atrophy of the corpus callosum associated with a decrease in cortical benzodiazepine receptor in large cerebral arterial occlusive diseases.

Yamauchi H, Fukuyama H, Dong Y, Nabatame H, Nagahama Y, Nishizawa S, Konishi J, Shio H.J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2000 Mar;68(3):317-22. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.68.3.317.PMID: 10675213 Free PMC article.

Cortical reorganization in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.Holly LT, Dong Y, Albistegui-DuBois R, Marehbian J, Dobkin B.J Neurosurg Spine. 2007 Jun;6(6):544-51. doi: 10.3171/spi.2007.6.6.5.PMID: 17561743 Free PMC article.

Motor cortex activation during treatment may predict therapeutic gains in paretic hand function after stroke.

Dong Y, Dobkin BH, Cen SY, Wu AD, Winstein CJ.Stroke. 2006 Jun;37(6):1552-5. doi: 10.1161/01.STR.0000221281.69373.4e. Epub 2006 Apr 27.PMID: 16645139

Compensatory cerebral adaptations before and evolving changes after surgical decompression in cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Dong Y, Holly LT, Albistegui-Dubois R, Yan X, Marehbian J, Newton JM, Dobkin BH.J Neurosurg Spine. 2008 Dec;9(6):538-51. doi: 10.3171/SPI.2008.10.0831.PMID: 19035745 Free PMC article

Evolution of FMRI activation in the perilesional primary motor cortex and cerebellum with rehabilitation training-related motor gains after stroke: a pilot study.

Dong Y, Winstein CJ, Albistegui-DuBois R, Dobkin BH.Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2007 Sep-Oct;21(5):412-28. doi: 10.1177/1545968306298598. Epub 2007 Mar 16.PMID: 17369516 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

Reliable assessment of lower limb motor representations with fMRI: use of a novel MR compatible device for real-time monitoring of ankle, knee and hip torques.

Newton JM, Dong Y, Hidler J, Plummer-D'Amato P, Marehbian J, Albistegui-Dubois RM, Woods RP, Dobkin BH.Neuroimage. 2008 Oct 15;43(1):136-46. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.07.001. Epub 2008 Jul 15.PMID: 18675363 Free PMC article.