Dr Mijeong Park

Research interests

I received my PhD in Pathology from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), where I investigated the functions and intracellular signalling mechanisms of immune receptors. I then spent almost ten years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Ocular Diseases Research group at UNSW, before joining the Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CJCRM) at Bond University.

My previous research in ocular biology, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine advanced understanding of how stem cells maintain and repair the front of the eye. By developing preclinical animal models and using lineage tracing and live imaging, I showed how corneal limbal stem cells drive wound healing, and I developed a cornea-derived bio-scaffold for ocular surface reconstruction. I am now applying this expertise in stem cells, bioengineering and preclinical models to the retina, the back of the eye.

My current research focus is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), where I aim to uncover the unknown mechanisms that drive the disease and to develop bioengineered retinal therapies and new treatments to prevent vision loss.