Date: 14 August 2026 (Friday)
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue: Mrs Chen Yang Foo Oi Telemedicine Centre, 2/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road 
Host: Professor Mu He

Dr. Kim completed his PhD training under the supervision of Dr. Lee Niswander at Cornell University and the Sloan Kettering Institute, where he participated in the pioneering forward genetic mouse screening program initiated by Dr. Kathryn Anderson. He subsequently pursued postdoctoral training with Dr. Ramesh Shivdasani at Harvard University and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, investigating the epigenetic mechanisms governing gut epithelial plasticity and stem cell biology. Since establishing his independent research program at the University of Toronto and SickKids in 2014, Dr. Kim's laboratory has combined mouse genetics, organoid culture, and epigenetic analyses to elucidate the cellular and structural components of the gut stem cell niche.

Peptic ulcer disease is a common gastric disorder associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. However, the mechanisms by which the stomach senses injury, initiates tissue regeneration, and restores normal gastric cell lineages remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that Piezo mechanosensitive ion channels detect the increased tissue stiffness induced by injury and promote regeneration through activation of YAP signaling. Following regeneration, ARID1A—a core subunit of the BAF chromatin-remodeling complex and one of the most frequently mutated genes in gastric cancer—initiates tissue recovery by recruiting lineage-specific transcription factors to recovery enhancers, thereby re-establishing normal gastric cell identities. Failure of this recovery program results in persistent regenerative signaling, creating a permissive environment for gastric tumorigenesis. Our findings uncover the biomechanical and epigenetic mechanisms that coordinate gastric regeneration and recovery and reveal how disruption of these processes contributes to cancer development.
 

All are welcome.