Biography

Seungil Ro, obtained his Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno, USA in 2002, where he has been Associate Professor (tenured) since 2015 in the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology in School of Med icine. His research interest includes gastrointestinal smooth muscle engineering, epigenetic remodeling, abdominal adhesions,and GI diseases(inflammatory bowel disease,gastroparesis, diverticulitis, and colon cancer). His research is currently supported by four NIH grants including two R01s. He has one US patent, has published 42 papers, and has been serving as a regular member of NIH grant review panel since 2015,and an editorial board member of PLoS ONEsince 2013.He hatrained/mentored 35 international/domestic undergraduate students, and 5 graduate students, and 5 postdoctoral fellows.

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Research Interest

My research interest is studying the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) that control gut neuromuscular (motility) disorders. The gut is a vital organ for human survival: it is where food is digested, where nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream, and where undigested waste moves through and leaves the body. This digestive process is achieved by the synchronized movement (motility) of gastrointestinal (GI) muscle, which mixes food and propels the digested content through the GI tract. Motility of GI muscle is controlled by three key cells: enteric nervous system (ENS), interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). ENS and ICC generate complex rhythmic motor behavior and spontaneous electrical slow waves, respectively, both of which control SMCs, the final effectors for muscle contraction and muscle relaxation. Developmental abnormalities and pathophysiological damage of these cells are directly linked to GI neuromuscular diseases such as Hirschsprung's disease, diabetic gastroenteropathy (DGEP), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO).