Hayle Kim

Research has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my Penn experience. I came into college knowing I wanted to do research, but I didn't exactly know what that looked like or where to start. I developed a deep curiosity about sleep in high school, so I found a place at the Kayser Lab - which studies the biological basis of sleep - at the Perelman School of Medicine through a work-study position. I’m interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating sleep function across the lifespan; in other words, why do young animals sleep more and more deeply than their mature counterparts? My work at the Kayser Lab has focused on answering this question by identifying genes that play a role in proper sleep maturation. I am currently working to explore the link between early-life sleep phenotypes and neurodegeneration in later life. 

Outside of research, I am the co-founder/president of the Asian Pacific American Pre-Medical Students Association and have previously served as the vice president of the Korean Student Association. I have also TAed for General Chemistry and Chronobiology and Sleep. I am happy to chat about anything related to research / being a student at Penn. As a freshman, I chatted with several RPAs who helped me in my research journey, so I hope to do the same for anyone else looking for guidance!

• Barry Goldwater Scholar 
• University Scholar, Peer Mentor Group Lead
• Research Assistant to Dr. Matthew Kayser, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (work-study)
• The Ruth Marcus Kanter (2022) and Ernest M. Brown Jr (2023) College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grants