Academics

Primary Research

Genomics is evolving very rapidly. During my Master's program, I worked with genetics-scale microsatellites, while my Ph.D. research has focused on genomics-scale whole-genome sequencing. Now, pan-genomics is gaining popularity—I myself is also actively harnessing pangenomes and structural genetic variants in research. Who knows what’s next?

At the same time, the field is shifting its focus from neutral genetic variation, primarily studied through single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), to adaptive genetic variation and structural variants associated with it. This transition reflects a deeper interest in understanding the genetic basis of adaptation.  

However, integrating these cutting-edge genomic approaches into conservation science is not immediate. By nature, conservation genomics lags behind the forefront of genomic advancements, as its primary focus is not on developing new technology but on applying existing tools effectively. 

Personally, I am always interested in learning the latest genomic methods and excited about leveraging them for wildlife conservation. It’s both fascinating and fulfilling to uncover novel insights that traditional approaches might have overlooked. My goal is to explore the potential of these emerging genomic methods, creating a foundation that the broader community can build upon to enhance their application in the field. 

My long-term research focus is on evaluating species' threatened and endangered status using genomic techniques. I assess key genetic parameters—including genetic diversity, gene flow patterns, and effective population size—to inform conservation strategies. Beyond neutral genetic variation, my work emphasizes adaptive genetic information. I aim to identify species' and populations' adaptive capacity in response to environmental changes, such as habitat loss and climate change, and predict their future vulnerability.

To extend these insights beyond the genetic level, I integrate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related techniques, including ecological niche modeling and spatial statistical approaches. This allows me to assess species' vulnerability at the organismal and landscape levels as well. By combining adaptive genomic analyses with landscape assessments, I can provide a more comprehensive evaluation of conservation risks. 

Collaboration is a key aspect of my work, and I enjoy working with both field ecologists and data ecologists to develop interdisciplinary approaches that enhance our understanding of species resilience and inform more effective conservation strategies. 

Publications

(* indicates corresponding authors. † indicates co-first authorship.)

• Natalie M. Allen, Andrew J. Mularo, Jong Yoon Jeon, Alvaro G. Hernandez, Ethan S. Streckfuss, Wade A. Ryberg, Toby J. Hibbitts, Brandon C. Bowers, Paul Crump, J. Andrew DeWoody* (In Review), Whole genome resequencing data provide high-resolution conservation insights into population structure and life history.

• Andrew J. Mularo*, Jong Yoon Jeon, Jack T. Kirkwood, Ximena E. Bernal (In Review), Introduction histories and climatic distribution patterns of three congeneric invasive anurans.

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Natalie M. Allen, Andrew N. Black, J. Andrew DeWoody*, Pangenome construction from short-read sequences: benchmarking for population and conservation genomics, (In Review), preprint on Authorea. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.173194407.74419464/v1

• Jong Yoon Jeon†, Andrew J. Mularo, Natalie M. Allen, Erangi J. Heenkenda, John W. Bickham, Andrew N. Black, J. Andrew DeWoody†,*, Genomic metrics should inform formal species threat assessments, (In Review).

• Andrew Black*, Jong Yoon Jeon, Chris McCreedy, Safia Janjua, Erangi Heenkenda, Samarth Mathur, Elise Ferree, Amy Fesnock, Alvaro Hernandez, J. Andrew DeWoody, Conservation genomics of California towhee (Melozone crissalis) in relation to the official list of endangered and threatened wildlife, (In Review), preprint on Authorea. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.168371288.85881657/v1

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Natalie M. Allen, Andrew N. Black, J. Andrew DeWoody* (2025), Short-read pangenomes and their potential utility in population and conservation genomics, Molecular Ecology Resources, e70060. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.70060

• Andrew N. Black†,*, Jong Yoon Jeon, Andrew J. Mularo, Natalie M. Allen, Erangi J. Heenkenda, Julia C. Buchanan-Schwanke, John W. Bickham, J. Andrew DeWoody† (2024), Thematic layers of genomic susceptibility for conservation assessments: introgressive hybridization as an example, Molecular Ecology e17582. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17582

• Sunmin Kim, Jong Yoon Jeon, Kyung Lee Lee, Hyunjoo Lee, Han Chan Park, Kyung Eun Lee, Hang Lee, Sung Bin Lee, Sang Wha Kim, Se Chang Park, Seongjun Choi*, Hee Jeong Yoon* (2024), Genetic analyses of Anisakis pegreffi (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from the East Asian finless porpoise Neophocaena asiaorientalis sunameri (Cetacea: Phocoenidae) in Korean waters, Parasitology Research 123: 365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-024-08368-x

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Andrew N. Black, Erangi J. Heenkenda, Andrew J. Mularo, Gina F. Lamka, Safia Janjua, Anna Brüniche-Olsen, John W. Bickham, Janna R. Willoughby, J. Andrew DeWoody* (2024), Genomic diversity as a key conservation criterion: proof-of-concept from mammalian whole-genome resequencing data, Evolutionary Applications 17:e70000. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.70000

• Andrew N. Black, Andrew J. Mularo, Jong Yoon Jeon, David Haukos, Kristin J. Bondo, Kent A. Fricke, Andy Gregory, Blake Grisham, Zachary E. Lowe, J. Andrew DeWoody* (2024), Discordance between taxonomy and population genomic data can complicate conservation policies, PNAS Nexus 3(8): pgae298. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae298

• Jong Yoon Jeon*, Yucheol Shin, Andrew J. Mularo, Xiao Feng, J. Andrew DeWoody (2024), The integration of whole-genome resequencing and ecological niche modeling to conserve profiles of local adaptation, Diversity and Distributions 00: e13847. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13847

• Kimberly Ledger†, Yingxin Su†, Jong Yoon Jeon, Aimee H. Fullerton, David Kuligowski, Todd Bennett, Keith Denton, Michael McHenry, John H. McMillan, Joseph Anderson, Heidi Connor, Todd R. Seamons, George Pess, Krista M. Nichols, Garrett McKinney*, Travis Seaborn*, Alexandra K. Fraik* (2023), Using riverscape genetics to investigate the genetic response of two species and their life-history forms to dam removal, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1225229

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Daecheol Jeong, Kyongman Heo, Han-Chan Park, Hang Lee, Mi-Sook Min* (2023), Variation in functional connectivity between metapopulations in urbanized and forested areas in an endangered salamander, Urban Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-023-01434-9

• Amaël Borzée*, Maribel Rodriguez, Naila Bhatri, Ye Inn Kim, Ariadne Angulo, Daemin Kim, Min-Ho Chang, Ha-Cheol Sung, Kyongman Heo, Il-Kook Park, Jae-Young Song, Ji-Hwa Jung, Jong Yoon Jeon, Kyungmin Kim, Mi-Sook Min, Nial Moores, Sally Wren, Vishal K Prasad, Yikweon Jang, Yucheol Shin, Siti Norhidayah Binti Othman* (2023), Policy recommendation on the Rana trade towards the Republic of Korea, Frontiers in Environmental Science 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1097849

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Dong Kun Lee, Jae Hyun Kim* (2023), Functional group analyses of herpetofauna in South Korea using a large dataset, Scientific Data 10: 15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01924-z

• J. Andrew DeWoody*, Jong Yoon Jeon, John W. Bickham, Erangi J. Heenkenda, Safia Janjua, Gina F. Lamka, Andrew J. Mularo, Andrew N. Black, Anna Brüniche-Olsen, Janna R. Willoughby (2022), The Threatened Species Imperative: Conservation assessments would benefit from population genomic insights, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 119 (35): e2210685119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2210685119

• Amaël Borzée*, Yucheol Shin, Nikolay A. Poyarkov, Jong Yoon Jeon, Hae Jun Baek, Chang Hoon Lee, Junghwa An, Yoon Jee Hong, Mi-Sook Min* (2022), Dwindling in the mountains: Description of a critically endangered and microendemic Onychodactylus species (Amphibia, Hynobiidae) from the Korean Peninsula, Zoological Research 43 (5): 750-755. https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.048

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Sujoo Cho, Ho Young Suk, Chang Hoon Lee, Amaёl Borzée, Jae-Young Song, Hang Lee, Mi-Sook Min* (2021), Resolving the taxonomic equivocacy and the population genetic structure of Rana uenoi – insights on dispersal and demographic history, Salamandra 57 (4): 529-540.

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Ji-hwa Jung, Ho Young Suk, Hang Lee, Mi-Sook Min* (2021), The Asian Plethodontid salamander preserves historical imprints of the recent northern expansion, Scientific Reports 11: 9193. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88238-z

• Ho Young Suk, Jong Yoon Jeon, Dong-Young Kim, Sunho Cha, Mi-Sook Min* (2021), The complete mitochondrial genome information of Rana uenoi (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) and the phylogenetic implication, Mitochondrial DNA part B 6(2): 689-690. https://doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2021.1882896

Oral Presentations (selected)

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Andrew N. Black, Erangi J. Heenkenda, Andrew J. Mularo, Gina F. Lamka, Safia Janjua, Anna Brüniche-Olsen, John W. Bickham, Janna R. Willoughby, J. Andrew DeWoody (2024), Genomic diversity as a key conservation criterion: proof-of-concept from mammalian whole-genome resequencing data, GEO BON Genetic Composition Working Group Symposium (Selected talk)

• Jong Yoon Jeon (2024), How can genomic information inform conservation efforts?, 15th Student Conference on Conservation Science-New York

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Andrew N. Black, Anna Brüniche Olsen, Janna R. Willoughby, Erangi J. Heenkenda, Safia Janjua, Andrew J. Mularo, Gina F. Lamka, John W. Bickham, J. Andrew DeWoody (2023), The use of genomic diversity as a key conservation metric: an example using mammalian whole genome resequencing data, Evolution 2023

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Yucheol Shin, Mi-Sook Min, Dong Kun Lee (2021), The effect of climate change on Kori salamander’s habitat distribution, The 2021 Spring Conference of The Korean Society of Climate Change Research

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Eunsun Lee, Bruce Waldman*, Mi-Sook Min (2018), 2018 Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) screening in South Korea, The 11th meeting of The Korean Society of Herpetologists

Poster Presentations (selected)

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Andrew N. Black, Erangi J. Heenkenda, Andrew J. Mularo, Gina F. Lamka, Safia Janjua, Anna Brüniche-Olsen, John W. Bickham, Janna R. Willoughby, J. Andrew DeWoody (2024), Genomic diversity as a key conservation criterion: proof-of-concept from mammalian whole-genome resequencing data, 2024 American Genetic Association Presidential Symposium: Genomic Technologies and the Future of Conservation 

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Andrew N. Black, J. Andrew DeWoody (2023), A conceptual pangenome workflow based on low-coverage, short-read data for conservation genomic studies of wild populations, Midwest Population Genetics Meeting 2023

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Andrew N. Black, Chris McCreedy, Safia Janjua, Erangi J Heenkenda, Samarth Mathur, Elise Ferree, Amy L. Fesnock-Parker, Alvaro Hernandez, J. Andrew DeWoody (2023), Evaluating California towhee (Melozone crissalis) gene flow with a focus on the small isolated population in Inyo County, California, SMBE Satellite Meeting on Molecular Evolution in Small Populations

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Ji-hwa Jung, Hang Lee, Ho Young Suk, Mi-Sook Min (2020), Population genetic structure of Karsenia koreana, the only Asian plethodontid, 9th World Congress of Herpetology

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Jae-Hwa Suh, Ho Young Suk, Mi-Sook Min (2019), Extremely low genetic diversity appeared in Hynobius yangi shows the need for an immediate conservation effort, The 74th Annual Meeting of the Korean Association of Biological Sciences

• Jong Yoon Jeon, Ho Young Suk, Koji lizuka, Hang Lee, Mi-Sook Min (2018), Genetic diversity of Jeju salamander (Hynobius quelpaertensis) analyzed by microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA, 8th International Symposium on Asian Vertebrate Species Diversity