Biography
Overview of research interests
Dr. Kim’s research program focuses on genetic and metabolic regulation of heart development, function and disease, with emphasis on obesity, diabetes and heart failure. First, we are interested in the molecular function and mechanism of Iroquois (Irx) transcription factors in the heart, which are not only implicated in organ development, but also in energy homeostasis regulation. Second, we are investigating metabolism of the heart and its communications with other core metabolic tissues/organs (e.g. adipose tissue and liver). Using genetically engineered mice as our principal models, we integrate physiology with molecular and systems biology approaches to address the fundamental questions in heart function and diseases.
Selected publications
- Kim KH*, Kim YH*, Moon JH, Son JE, Kim S, Choe MS, Zhong J, Lee JH, Fu K, Lenglin F, Park JG, Bilan PJ, Klip A, Nagy A, JR Kim, Hussein SM, Doh KO, Hui CC, Sung HK. (2017) Intermittent fasting Promotes Metabolic Improvement and Adipose Thermogenesis via VEGF-mediated Alternative Activation of Adipose Macrophage. Cell Research. In press
- Kim KH*, Rosen A*, Hussain SM, Puviindran V, Korogyi AS, Chiarello C, Nagy A, Hui CC, Backx PH. (2016) Irx3 is required for Postnatal Development of the Mouse Ventricular Conduction System. Scientific Reports. 6, 19197; doi: 10.1038/srep19197.
- Claussnitzer M, Dankel SN*, Kim KH*, Quon G, Meuleman W, Haugen C, Glunk V, Sousa IS, Beaudry JL, Puviindran V, Abdennur NA, Liu J, Svensson PA, Hsu YH, Drucker DJ, Mellgren G, Hui CC, Hauner H, Kellis M (2015) Causal FTO Obesity Variant Circuitry and Adipocyte Browning in Humans (2015) N Eng J Med. 373(10):895-907
- Smemo S*, Tena JJ*, Kim KH*, Gamazon ER, Sakabe NJ, Gómez-Marín C, Aneas I, Credidio FL, Sobreira DR, Wasserman NF, Lee JH, Puviindran V, Tam D, Shen M, Son JE, Vakili NA, Sung HK, Naranjo S, Acemel RD, Manzanares M, Nagy A, Cox NJ, Hui CC, Gomez-Skarmeta JL, Nobrega MA (2014) Obesity-associated variants within FTO form long-range functional connections with IRX3. Nature. 507(7492):371-5.
- Kim KH, Rosen A, Bruneau BG, Hui CC, Backx PH (2012) Iroquois Transcription Factors in Heart Development and Function. Circulation Research 110, 1513-1524
- Zhang SS*, Kim KH*, Rosen A*, Smyth JW*, Sakuma R*, Delgado-Olguín P, Davis M, Chi NC, Puviindran V, Gaborit N, Sukonnik T, Wylie JN, Brand-Arzamendi K, Farman GP, Kim J, Rose RA, Marsden PA, Zhu Y, Zhou YQ, Miquerol L, Henkelman RM, Stainier DY, Shaw RM, Hui CC, Bruneau BG, Backx PH (2011) Iroquois homeobox gene 3 establishes fast conduction in the cardiac His-Purkinje network. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108, 13576-81.