Jason Kim's Lab is Hosting Visiting Researchers from South Korea to Conduct Type 2 Diabetes Research
Date Posted: Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Bukyung Kim, MD, PhD Jae Hyun Kim, MD/PhD Jason Kim, PhD
The laboratory of Jason Kim, PhD is hosting visiting professors from Kosin University College of Medicine in South Korea. Both physician-scientists are involved in several projects in the Kim lab and will be conducting type 2 diabetes research at UMass Chan Medical School through 2023.
Bukyung Kim, MD, PhD
Endocrinologist Bukyung Kim is evaluating how dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists regulate hepatic insulin resistance. “I’ve experienced many patients with obesity and bariatric surgery in Korea,” she said. “I'm interested in incretin as they experienced a dramatic improvement in their diabetes after bariatric surgery.”
Incretins are a group of hormones that stimulate a decrease in blood glucose. They’re released after eating and increase insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. “I've prescribed GLP-1 to many obese patients,” she added. “There are questions about the difference between GLP-1 and GIP, and I want to learn more about the mechanism of each and the detailed differences when using them both together.”
Dr. Kim presented data at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions in San Diego on the mechanism by which tirzepatide, a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist that was recently approved to treat type 2 diabetes, acts to improve glucose homeostasis. View their publication at https://doi.org/10.2337/db23-130-OR
Jae Hyun Kim, MD, PhD
Gastroenterologist Jae Hyun Kim is interested in the correlation between gut microbiota and obesity. He previously reported the association between the Blautia/Bacteroides ratio and altered BMI after bariatric surgery (Endocrinol Metab 2022;37:475-486). “During that study I found the Blautia/Bacteroides ratio showed a positive correlation with BMI,” he said. “I expect that these microbiotas could play an important role in obesity.”
Both physician-scientists are enjoying the people and facilities at UMass Chan and also finding time to explore New England. So far this summer they visited Acadia National Park in Maine and toured Boston's Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. They look forward to experiencing New England’s autumn foliage. This winter they would like to to learn to ski.
Diabetes Research in the Laboratory of Jason Kim, PhD at UMass Chan Medical School
Dr. Kim’s lab is focused on insulin resistance. They’re utilizing sophisticated metabolic procedures and molecular approaches in transgenic mouse models to study the molecular link between inflammation, cytokines, and insulin resistance. Translational research in the Kim lab is exploring potential therapeutic targets for treating type 2 diabetes.