Donghee studied organic chemistry and biochemistry as an undergraduate student at MIT in Cambridge MA. He then studied membrane ion transport systems as a graduate student in the Department of Pharmacology at MSU, East Lansing, MI, and cardiac excitation-contraction coupling mechanisms in the Cardiovascular Division of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital as a postdoctoral fellow. At Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, he studied G protein signaling of K channels with David E. Clapham. After moving to Chicago Medical School, he began studies on the physiology and biophysics of G protein-gated and ATP-sensitive K channels, particularly on the effects of lipids. He spent one year in the Department of Pharmacology at Osaka University (with Yoshi Kurachi) where he began molecular cloning of two-pore domain K (K2P) channels. Since then he has cloned and characterized several additional members of the K2P channels. He also became involved in the study of transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels, many of which serve as polymodal sensors, similar to those of K2P channel. Currently, he is studying how K2P and TRP ion channels sense various chemical and physical stimuli (oxygen, heat, cold, Ca, acid, mechanical) using various cell models such as chemoreceptor cells in the carotid body and adrenal gland, cerebellar granule neurons and sensory ganglion neurons.