Hyun Jung Kim Laboratory

Hyun Jung Kim, PhD

Assistant Staff
Email: [email protected]
Location: Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

Research

The Biomimetic MicroEngineering (BioME) laboratory has focused on innovating bioinspired engineering principles to uncover the fundamental mechanism in human health and diseases. The human Organ-on-a-Chip, also known as the Microphysiological System (MPS), has emerged as an alternative experimental model to accurately recapitulate the host-microbiome ecosystem and predict human physiological responses. We have created novel biomimicry to reconstitute the three-dimensional (3D) physical structure, physiological functions, and dynamic biomechanics of the living human gut.

We are particularly interested in emulating the host-microbiome interactions that orchestrate intestinal homeostasis and disease development. In collaboration with clinicians, our breakthrough technology enables us to develop unprecedented “Personalized Disease-on-a-Chip” models by integrating patient-derived organoids, microbiomes, and immune cells. Using this model, we have delved into the pathological contribution of the gut microbiome in gastrointestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and infectious diseases.

Our overarching goal is to understand causality vs. consequence of the host-microbiome crosstalk at various disease milieus by leveraging a patient-specific Disease-on-a-Chip. We will continually innovate our disruptive technology to manipulate pathophysiological manifestation in the human oral cavity, nasal path, vagina, placenta, skin, liver, and gut-brain axis. Finally, we will disseminate our cutting-edge technology to contribute to scientific, clinical, and pharmaceutical communities by unraveling high-risk medical problems.

Biography

Hyun Jung Kim, PhD, is the Principal Investigator of The Biomimetic Microengineering (BioME) Laboratory in the Department of Inflammation and Immunity at Cleveland Clinic. He has focused on innovating microphysiological platform technologies to uncover fundamental questions in human health and diseases. By leveraging the miniaturized human “Gut-on-a-chip” microsystem, Dr. Kim has developed paradigm-shifting models that reconstitute the physical structure, physiological function, and mechanical dynamics of the living human intestine (Nat. Protoc. 2022; PNAS 2018; iScience, 2019 & 2020; PNAS, 2016). His research group has been particularly interested in emulating a host-microbiome ecosystem that orchestrates human health and diseases by integrating transdisciplinary approaches of clinical microbiology, microfluidics, and tissue engineering. He has spearheaded to develop a “Patient’s Avatar” model by integrating patient-derived organoids, fecal microbiota, and tissue-specific immune cells to emulate the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) and colorectal cancer (CRC).

Education & Professional Highlights

ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENT

 07/2022 – present   Cleveland Clinic, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH, USA

                                 Assistant Staff, Department of Inflammation and Immunity

02/2023 – present    Assistant Staff, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Joint Appointment)

04/2023 – present    Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM) of Case Western Reserve University

01/2015 – 06/2022   The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA                                                

                                 Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering 

 

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

09/2012 – 12/2014   Technology Development Fellow, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering (Advisor: Donald E. Ingber, MD, PhD)

07/2009 – 08/2012   Postdoctoral Fellow, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering (Advisor: Donald E. Ingber, MD, PhD)

The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

03/2007 – 06/2009   Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Chemistry (Advisor: Rustem F. Ismagilov, PhD)

Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

09/2005 – 02/2007   Research Associate, Institute of Life Science and Biotechnology (Advisor: Chul Soo Shin, PhD)

09/2000 – 08/2005   PhD in Biotechnology (Advisor: Chul Soo Shin, PhD)

03/1998 – 08/2000   MS in Biotechnology (Advisor: Chul Soo Shin, PhD)

03/1994 – 02/1998   BE in Biotechnology  

 

AWARDS & HONORS (Selected)

2023                     Senior Research Award, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, USA

2023                     2022 Inventor, Office of Innovations, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, USA

2023                     CTSC Core Utilization Pilot Grant Award, Case Western Reserve University, USA 

2022                     Career Development Program Award, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, USA

2021                     2020 Research Excellence in Korean Biomedical Science, Medical Research Information Center, Korea

2018                     Technology Impact Award, Cancer Research Institute (CRI), USA

2017                     Texas 4000 Seed Grant Award, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, UT Austin, USA

2016                     Innovator Awards, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, USA

2015                     Featured Designer for Organs-on-Chips, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, USA

2013                     Abcam Discovery 15 Contest Finalist ($1,000 credit), USA

2013                     2013 Invented Here! Honoree. New England’s Breakthrough Inventions and Inventors. Boston, MA, USA

2013                     Best Paper Award. ALine, Inc., 2013 ASME (NEMB 2013). Feb 4-6, 2013, Boston, MA, USA

2012 - 2014          Wyss Technology Development Fellowship, Wyss Institute, Harvard University, USA

2012                     Best Presentation Award for Postdocs. The Korean Toxicologists Association in America. SOT 2012, San Francisco, CA, USA

2012                     Postdoctoral Award (1st place). In Vitro and Alternative Methods Special Section, SOT 2012, San Francisco, CA, USA

2007 - 2008          Leo Kadanoff and Stuart Rice Postdoctoral Fellowship, The University of Chicago, USA

2003 - 2004          Fellowship for Young Scientist, Korea Research Foundation, Korea

2001                     Scholarship for Excellent Student, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea

1994                     Yonsei Special Award for the Freshman in Matriculation, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea