About

Ms. Meejeong Song is a senior lecturer in the Department of Asian Studies at Cornell University and serves as the coordinator of the Korean Language Program. She has been at Cornell since January 2001, with over 20 years of experience teaching all levels of Korean. She holds a B.A. in Korean Language and Literature and an M.A. in Korean Studies from Ewha Womans University in South Korea, specializing in teaching Korean as a second language. Her research focus includes Second Language Acquisition, Content-Based Teaching (CBT), Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL), and Technology-Aided Teaching Material Development. Ms. Song is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Association of Teachers of Korean (AATK), the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the Northeast Association for Language Learning and Technology (NEALLT), and the International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT). She has served as an elected board member for AATK and hosted its 27th annual conference at Cornell. Her work involves developing effective language pedagogy and learning practices, with her pedagogical applications and peer-review class activities being featured in global educator resources. Beyond her academic pursuits, she is dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive environment for diverse learners, engaging in campus advising, student organization support, and community outreach activities related to Korean language and culture.

Research topics

• Biology
• Immunology
• Cancer research
• Cell biology
• Biochemistry

Selected publications

• Cuproptosis and Disulfidptosis Converge to Empower PD‐L1 Checkpoint Therapy via Cadict‐Induced PD‐L1 Translation

  Advanced Science · 2026-02-21

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has emerged as a cornerstone of cancer therapy, yet its effectiveness remains restricted in PD-L1-low malignancies due to insufficient target expression. We herein develop the cuproptosis and disulfidptosis co-delivery targeted (Cadict) nanodrug, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted nanoplatform designed to co-induce cuproptosis and disulfidptosis, thereby synergistically augmenting tumor cytotoxicity and sensitizing cancers to anti-PD-L1 therapy. Cadict exploits copper-sulfur (Cu-S) coordination chemistry to co-deliver copper ions and cystine, while integrating glucose oxidase (GOx) to create a hypoglycemic milieu essential for disulfidptosis execution. This dual cytotoxic mechanism not only triggers immunogenic cell death-like phenotype but also unexpectedly activates the integrated stress response (ISR), promoting PD-L1 upregulation through Eif5b-dependent translation. The resulting synergy between redox-driven cytotoxicity and immune modulation potentiates anti-PD-L1 efficacy, leading to robust tumor regression and durable immunological memory. Our work presents a seminal strategy that leverages tumor redox vulnerabilities to advance cancer immunotherapy, providing a new paradigm for overcoming ICB resistance via targeted tumor sensitization.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The predictive value of niacin skin flushing response and inflammatory factors for the antidepressant efficacy

  BMC Psychiatry · 2026-02-26

  articleOpen access

  Individual variations in depressive disorder (DD) treatment responses highlight the need for early efficacy prediction to optimize regimens. The niacin skin flushing response (NSFR) is a potential DD biomarker, and elevated inflammatory cytokines are linked to DD. This study explored the association between blunted NSFR and DD symptom severity, and evaluated the predictive value of NSFR and inflammatory cytokines for early antidepressant efficacy. Fifty DD patients were grouped as responders (≥ 50% Hamilton Depression Rating Scale reduction at week 2) or non-responders. Intergroup differences in NSFR index and inflammatory cytokines (Phospholipase A2 [PLA2], Cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2]) were compared. Spearman’s correlation, binary logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyzed associations and predictive performance. (1) Baseline NSFR index was significantly negatively correlated with baseline HAMD score (r = -0.736, p < 0.001), indicating that the degree of NSFR attenuation reflects depression severity. (2) Both baseline NSFR index (AUC = 0.615) and COX-2 level (AUC = 0.725) independently predicted early treatment efficacy, with patients exhibiting lower baseline NSFR index or higher baseline COX-2 levels showing superior early efficacy. (3) The combined predictive model incorporating baseline NSFR index, COX-2, and PLA2 demonstrated optimal predictive performance (AUC = 0.786). This study confirms that greater NSFR attenuation is associated with more severe depressive symptoms. Baseline NSFR and COX-2 hold promise as potential predictive biomarkers. Furthermore, the combined model based on NSFR and inflammatory cytokines exhibits superior predictive value, providing a potential basis for optimizing individualized DD treatment strategies and exploring anti-inflammatory therapeutic targets. Assessed NSFR and inflammatory cytokines for predicting early antidepressant efficacy. Confirmed that blunted NSFR reflects the severity of depressive disorder. Demonstrated combined NSFR + COX-2 + PLA2 model has optimal predictive performance. Offer basis for optimizing individualized DD treatment.

  PublisherDOI

• Circulating tumor cells: mechanisms and clinical significance in colorectal cancer metastasis

  Molecular Cancer · 2025-10-03 · 10 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Tumors are a major global health problem. As economic development and material standards increase, the incidence and mortality of digestive system tumors have shown an overall rising trend. Among them, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Despite advances in molecular biology and therapeutic strategies, tumor metastasis remains the main driver of cancer-related deaths (about 90%). Especially in CRC, the progression of metastasis greatly limits clinical intervention options. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), a key mediator of hematogenous metastasis, have emerged as a key target for unravelling metastatic mechanisms and developing therapeutic strategies, and are gradually gaining prominence in tumor biology and precision medicine. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of CTC-mediated mechanisms, especially in the invasion-metastasis cascade of CRC and other cancers of the digestive system, is crucial for early metastasis detection, prevention and identification of new therapeutic targets.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Improving Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Ultrasound Images Using Deep Learning with Feature Fusion and Attention Mechanism

  Academic Radiology · 2025-05-27 · 6 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Causes of death among patients with metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer

  Journal of Endocrinological Investigation · 2025-07-07

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Non-coding RNAs in adipose-derived stem cell exosomes: Mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and challenges in wound healing

  World Journal of Stem Cells · 2025-04-21 · 7 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  The treatment of complex wounds presents a significant clinical challenge due to the limited availability of standardized therapeutic options. Adipose-derived stem cell exosomes (ADSC-Exos) are promising for their capabilities to enhance angiogenesis, mitigate oxidative stress, modulate inflammatory pathways, support skin cell regeneration, and promote epithelialization. These exosomes deliver non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs, which facilitate collagen remodeling, reduce scar formation, and expedite wound healing. This study reviews the mechanisms, therapeutic roles, and challenges of non-coding RNA-loaded ADSC-Exos in wound healing and identifies critical directions for future research. It aims to provide insights for researchers into the potential mechanisms and clinical applications of ADSC-Exos non-coding RNAs in wound healing.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A multicenter diagnostic study of thyroid nodule with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis enabled by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis nodule-artificial intelligence model

  European Radiology · 2025-02-13 · 3 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• AKR1B10 dictates c-Myc stability to suppress colorectal cancer metastasis via PP2A nitration

  Science Advances · 2025-08-22 · 4 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Metabolic enzymes, critical for cellular homeostasis, are frequently co-opted in a disease-specific manner to drive cancer progression. Here, we identify aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10), down-regulated in gastrointestinal cancers, as a pivotal metastasis suppressor correlating with improved colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis. Mechanistically, AKR1B10 activates protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) by preventing redox-regulated nitration of its B56α subunit, preserving holoenzyme assembly and enabling c-Myc dephosphorylation at serine-62. Loss of AKR1B10 disrupts this pathway, stabilizing c-Myc, which drives integrin signaling and metastatic dissemination in CRC. We further demonstrate that lysine-125 of AKR1B10 is essential for its interaction with PP2A-Cα and B56α nitration, thereby attenuating CRC metastatic aggressiveness. Pharmacological restoration of PP2A activity effectively mitigates metastasis associated with AKR1B10 loss. In addition, c-Myc transcriptionally represses AKR1B10, establishing a feedback loop that sustains its down-regulation and enhances metastatic progression. This study uncovers an antimetastatic mechanism involving AKR1B10-mediated PP2A activation and highlights its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target.

  PublisherDOI

• Endoscope-assisted low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation of intermuscular angiolipoma in the chest: a case report

  Frontiers in Pediatrics · 2025-10-31

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Background: Endoscope-assisted surgery (EAS) remains largely unexplored for intermuscular angiolipomas (IA) in children. This study reports a 6-year-old girl with a right chest angiolipoma who underwent EAS via a minintermuscular angiolipomaly invasive anterior axillary fold approach. Methods: Following ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance imaging revealing a provisional diagnosis of IA, the patient underwent endoscope-assisted low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation (LTPRA) under general anesthesia. The procedure was performed through a single 2 cm incision at the right anterior axillary fold utilizing a 5 mm 30° endoscope and pediatric-specific fine instruments. Results: Complete resection of the angiolipoma was achieved with an operative time of 120 min and blood loss of 15 ml. Pathological examination confirmed angiolipoma. At 6-month follow-up, no recurrence and satisfactory wound healing have been observed. Conclusion: EAS proves a feasible and effective therapeutic option for complex anatomical-site angiolipomas due to its efficacy in complete excision and superior cosmetic outcomes. By integrating endoscopic visualization with precise plasma ablation, this technique significantly reduces neurovascular injury risks during deep intermuscular tumor dissection, offering a novel minintermuscular angiolipomaly invasive strategy for lesions in regions challenging for conventional open surgery.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Serum Neurofilament Light Chain and Inflammatory Cytokines as Biomarkers for Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease

  Research Square · 2024-01-08

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract Objective: To investigate the association between serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels, inflammatory cytokines, and cognitive function to assess their utility in the early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 157 community-dwelling individuals aged 55 years and above, categorized into healthy controls, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and probable AD. Serum levels of NfL, inflammatory cytokines, and AD pathology markers were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Correlations between these biomarkers and cognitive function were analyzed, for the potential of serum NfL in recognizing MCI. Results: Serum NfL levels were significantly elevated in MCI and probable AD groups compared to healthy controls. Positive correlations were found between serum NfL and inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and Aβ40. Combining serum NfL with p-tau217 and the Boston Naming Test significantly enhanced the predictive accuracy for MCI. However, combining serum NfL with inflammatory markers did not improve MCI prediction accuracy. Conclusions: Elevated serum NfL is associated with cognitive impairment and inflammatory markers, suggesting its potential as a peripheral blood biomarker for early AD detection. The combination of serum NfL with p-tau217 and cognitive tests could offer a more accurate prediction of MCI, providing new insights for AD treatment strategies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Xiaojing Ma

  Baton Rouge Clinic

  70 shared

• Xin Zhang

  Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital

  43 shared

• Keqing Shi

  Jilin University

  37 shared

• Zhuo Lin

  33 shared

• Weiling He

  Jinan University

  25 shared

• Yi-Jing Cai

  Zhejiang A & F University

  18 shared

• Dong Xu

  Zhejiang Cancer Hospital

  18 shared

• Yu-Qun Wang

  Second Hospital of Shandong University

  18 shared

Education

• Ph.D., National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing (NIBS)

  Tsinghua University

  2015

Awards & honors

• Selden Memorial Translation Prize