Dohoon Kim, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Ph.D.: 2007, Harvard University
Postdoctoral Research: Whitehead Institute at MIT
Office:	UMass Chan Medical School 364 Plantation Street, LRB-422 Worcester, MA 01605
Phone:	508-856-4428
Email:	Dohoon.Kim@umassmed.edu

Lab Website

Research

The goal of the lab is to understand how changes in metabolic pathways support cancer cells and their survival within the tumor environment, and to exploit these changes for therapeutic purposes. We have found that cancer cells are dependent on metabolic pathways which involve the formation of toxic metabolites. We aim to understand the role of these pathways, and to target these pathways to poison cancer cells with their own metabolites. Furthermore, as widespread changes in cellular metabolism accompany various physiological and pathological changes in cellular state, we are also interested in the potential roles of toxic metabolites in contexts outside of cancer.

Rotation Projects

Project 1: Validate the roles and characterize the metabolic functions of candidate toxic metabolite detoxifying enzymes and pathways in cancer cells

Project 2: Uncover the role of glycine c-acetyltransferase, which converts excess glycine to the toxic metabolites aminoacetone and methylglyoxal, in cancer cells and in physiology

Project 3: Characterize the metabolic features of the ischemic tumor microenvironment in xenograft tumors and ex vivo models and its relevance to cancer cell survival and cancer progression

Positions Available

Positions are available for rotation students, postdocs, and technicians. Please contact Dohoon Kim for additional details.