[5] Chung helped to initiate a new form of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy which is used nationally and was among the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case which banned gene patenting.
[7][failed verification] Her parents were involved in science and medicine: her father was an organic chemistry professor and her mother worked in a medical laboratory.
[9][3] She was a graduate student of Dr. Rudy Leibel at Rockefeller, who described her as a "triple threat" due to her capability as an "equally gifted scientist, clinician, and teacher.
"[7][failed verification] Chung also completed an internship, residency, and fellowship at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center.
"[12] Chung was an original plaintiff in the Supreme Court case which overturned that ability to patent genes, Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc.[13] Chung became a plaintiff with the ACLU after approaching both the NIH and Congress as she believed that the patenting of genes restricted access and quality of care the patients are eligible to receive.
[14] Chung was the Kennedy Family Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) and directed the clinical genetics program until 2023.
Alongside her research endeavors, Chung works with the families involved in the project to create community and help them to understand autism and its causes more completely.
[20] One of Chung's contributions within the field of genetics involves her role in the development of screenings and treatment for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), especially in newborns.
[21] Chung has also conducted a natural history study to understand how spinal muscular atrophy progresses to provide a foundation for clinical trials.
The Chung Lab at Boston Children's Hospital houses the KAND Natural History Study and patient registry, which are key resources that aid in characterizing this rare and novel disease.
[25] Additionally, Chung was featured in part one of a Ken Burns documentary called The Gene: An Intimate History, which focuses on the efforts of Luke Rosen and Sally Jackson, the founders of KIF1A.org, and researchers to find a treatment for KAND patients.
[26] Chung has also started a treatment program using an ASO to treat KAND and has a patient in an N of 1 trial to determine efficacy of this strategy.