Special Interview with Prof. Woojae Myung: AP Journal Editorial Board Member
8 April 2025
Dr. Woojae Myung is a Psychiatrist and Geneticist at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. His primary research focuses on elucidating the etiologies of psychiatric disorders including depression and bipolar disorder and identifying their therapeutic targets through integrated analyses of genomic and clinical data.
Dr. Myung has been involved in psychiatric research for a long time and has actively participated in various major international collaborative projects. He participated in large-scale genomic research such as "Multivariate genomic analysis of 5 million people elucidates the genetic architecture of shared components of the metabolic syndrome" published in Nature Genetics and "Shared genetic architectures of educational attainment in East Asian and European populations" published in Nature Human Behaviour which explored the shared genetic architectures between metabolic syndrome, cognitive reserve, and psychiatric conditions. In addition, in collaboration with international genomic consortia, Dr. Myung contributed to studies that revealed the genetic underpinnings of psychiatric disorders, including the recent paper, "Genomics yields biological and phenotypic insights into bipolar disorder" published in Nature which uncovered significant biological mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder. These efforts highlight his commitment to elucidating the complex nature of psychiatric disorder and mental traits.
As an editorial board member of Alpha Psychiatry (AP), we are honored to have an exclusive interview with Dr. Myung. This interview will not only discuss his achievements but also hope to inspire more scientific researchers through his experience.
Q1: Could you please tell us about your research field?
Dr. Myung: As a psychiatrist and geneticist, my research is primarily centered on uncovering the etiologies of psychiatric disorders—such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder—and identifying their potential therapeutic targets. I approach this goal through the integration of genomic and clinical data, aiming to bridge molecular insights with real-world clinical phenotypes. I am especially interested in fostering collaborations that bridge different disciplines and populations, as I believe this is essential to fully understand the biological complexity of psychiatric illness.
Q2: As an editorial board member, what aspects of an article do you value most?
Dr. Myung: When reviewing articles, I primarily focus on the originality of the research and the quality of the data presented. Given that statistics is one of my areas of expertise, I also pay particular attention to the appropriateness and rigor of the statistical methods used. While assessing the scientific foundation of a manuscript is important, I also strive to respect the peer reviewers' perspectives on the clinical relevance and overall quality of the work. As an editor, I see my role as ensuring that the manuscript meets a standard of scientific integrity before it is sent out for peer review and facilitating a review process that allows the authors' work to be evaluated fairly and accurately by appropriate experts.
Q3: Currently, negative results account for a very high proportion of psychopharmacology trials, but most journals still tend to draw positive conclusions. What do you think of this situation?
Dr. Myung: Even when the findings are negative, if the results offer meaningful insights for clinicians and researchers, they deserve to be fairly evaluated and recognized. However, rigorously validating negative results often requires considerably more effort and statistical power compared to obtaining positive findings. Because such rigorously designed negative studies are relatively rare, they tend to be even harder to publish. That said, if negative results—especially those with insufficient statistical power—are not published at all, this can raise a publication bias. It is essential for the scientific community to ensure that studies are assessed and published without bias, regardless of the direction of the results. Journals, reviewers, and editors must be more attentive to this issue and actively support the dissemination of well-conducted studies, whether their findings are positive or negative.
Q4: Clinicians are more concerned with treatment guidelines, while basic researchers prefer mechanism exploration. How do you view this difference?
Dr. Myung: I value both types of articles. I believe the relevance of an article depends largely on the needs and interests of its readers. When writing a paper, authors should carefully consider the target audience’s level of understanding and structure the content in a way that ensures clarity and accessibility. Making research accessible—even to those who may not be experts in my specific field—is important not only for successful publication, but also for ensuring that the research has a meaningful, positive impact on society.
Q5: Advice for young scholars
Dr. Myung: I encourage young scholars not to define themselves by their age, but to approach research with the mindset and confidence of an expert. One’s youth, or academic position within a university or research institute, should not determine the value of their scientific contributions. I believe that each researcher holds unique expertise in their field, and there is a domain within science where only they can make a meaningful contribution. I hope young scientists carry that sense of ownership and pride in their work. As a young researcher myself, I also strive to maintain this perspective in my own research work.
In this interview, we are very grateful to Dr. Myung for sharing many valuable insights and experiences. We sincerely hope that these contents can provide useful reference and inspiration for scholars in their exploration of the spiritual field.
Related Papers:
FYN Tyrosine Kinase Gene Polymorphisms in Alcohol-Dependent Korean Patients: https://doi.org/10.31083/AP38752
Association of Stmn1 Polymorphism and Cognitive Function: An Observational Study in the Chinese Adults: https://doi.org/10.31083/AP38719
The Influence of Identity Bubble Reinforcement on the Happiness Index among Chinese Medical Staff: The Mediating Role of General Self-Efficacy: https://doi.org/10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241681
The Role of 3’ Regulatory Region Flanking Kinectin 1 Gene in Schizophrenia: https://doi.org/10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241616
No Association of Stathmin 1 Gene Polymorphism with Trait or State Anxiety in the Chinese Population: https://doi.org/10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.231374