Dokun Lee

The first turning point was my experience of being bullied in elementary school. From first to fourth grade, I struggled with isolation, but everything changed when I started playing soccer in fifth grade. As I discovered my talent for soccer, I became closer to my peers and overcame my difficulties.

The second turning point occurred during high school when I visited the border between China and North Korea. There, I saw the footprints of North Korean defectors, and among them, the footprints of a child deeply moved me.

The third turning point was taking Professor Hanseung Lee’s class at Silla University.
During a break in a biochemistry class, Professor Lee showed us a video titled Sejin, the Robot-Legged Boy. Let me briefly summarize its content. In the video, Sejin explains that there are two ways to have a child: one is through the pain of childbirth, and the other is through the pain of the heart—adoption. Sejin’s mother experienced the latter. Although Sejin was born with a disability, his mother raised him with strength and resilience. Thanks to her unwavering support, Sejin became a sports athlete, representing South Korea as a Paralympic swimmer.

I still remember the words Professor Lee shared with us after showing the video:
"We may not always realize it in our daily lives, but there are many people around us who need our help more than we think. If we take a little more interest in them, I believe we can create a warmer, more compassionate world."

Through these three turning points, I learned the importance of standing with the marginalized and helping those in need. The goal of my life has always been to study and work for the weak and those in need. Now, I hope to join your laboratory and embrace the next turning point in my journey.

I was first introduced to antibiotic resistance research while working in Professor Hanseung Lee’s laboratory at Silla University, where I studied carbapenem-resistant strains isolated from Busan University Hospital. This initial exposure sparked my interest in the mechanisms of bacterial antibiotic resistance and the global challenge posed by multidrug-resistant pathogens.

Building on this foundation, I joined the Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory at Gangnam Severance Hospital, where I conducted antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) to assess resistance patterns in bacterial strains collected from eight provinces across South Korea. When resistance was confirmed through AST, I performed PCR analyses to identify the corresponding resistance genes. Over the course of three years, my primary responsibilities included testing for antibiotic resistance, identifying resistance determinants, and contributing to research aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance development. I also conducted a research project on Klebsiella variicola to investigate its antibiotic resistance profiles and virulence factors, which became the focus of my master’s thesis.

These experiences led me to develop a deeper interest in the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens survive within host environments and establish chronic infections. In particular, I am fascinated by how effector proteins secreted by bacteria manipulate host signaling pathways to evade immune responses and promote long-term persistence. My desire to explore this complex host-pathogen interaction has inspired me to pursue a PhD in the field of microbial pathogenesis.

I am especially drawn to the International PhD Program at the University of Basel because of its strong interdisciplinary focus and the opportunity to work with leading experts in infection biology. I am particularly interested in your research on Bartonella and Brucella species as model organisms for studying type IV secretion systems. Your work on identifying host interaction partners of bacterial effector proteins and using systems biology to investigate chronic infection mechanisms aligns closely with my academic background and research aspirations. I am excited by the prospect of contributing to your innovative and impactful work.

I believe my research experience, laboratory skills, and commitment to translational science make me a strong candidate for your program. I am eager to further develop my scientific training in this collaborative and dynamic environment, and to contribute meaningfully to the global effort to combat chronic and antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.