Short Biography

Jin Hoon Jang began his research journey in 2017 as a master's student in the Department of Applied Plant Science at Chonnam National University in Korea. During his master's program, he focused on lignin biosynthesis and how it affects the growth of the ginseng-derived patatin-related phospholipase AIIIβ (pPLAIIIβ) gene in Arabidopsis and hybrid poplar. Continuing his academic pursuits, he pursued a doctoral program where he explored the multifaceted functions of pPLA genes. His investigations included studying the gene's role in providing resistance against turnip crinkle virus, its influence on germination rates, and its effects on cell elongation patterns. Through these comprehensive studies, he expanded his understanding of plant biology. In 2023, he revealed that the loss-of-function of pPLAIIγ in Arabidopsis, a dicot plant, induced maternal haploid—an essential process in plant reproduction. Building upon this discovery, he extended his investigations to the development of a haploid inducer line in major crops like rice, soybean, and tomato. Jang's ultimate goal is to improve crop breeding techniques for the future. He wants to understand how plants reproduce and use that knowledge to develop better ways of growing crops. His research is focused on making agriculture more efficient and preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.

Research area/interest

Plant molecular biology; plant biotechnology; plant reproduction; Arabidopsis; rice; phospholipase; haploid