• Systemic tumor-host interactions
• Paraneoplastic syndromes
• Tumor-dependent stem cell dysregulation
• Stress-induced blood-brain barrier damage

• Assistant Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences, HKU (2022–Present)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-Berkeley, CA, USA (2015-2022)

          Advisor: Dr. David Bilder

•  PhD, University of Minnesota, MN, USA (2009–2015)

           Advisor: Dr. Thomas Neufeld

•   MSc, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea (2007-2009)

            Advisor: Dr. YoungSik Lee

•    BSc, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea (2000-2004)

The Jung Kim Lab seeks to answer the fundamental question in cancer biology: “How do tumors actually kill hosts?”. We mainly focus on the systemic effects of tumors caused by tumor-secreted cytokines or hormones. Tumors can disrupt host organs at a distance via systemic effects, also called paraneoplastic syndromes or paraneoplasias. Using powerful Drosophila models, we found that tumor-secreted cytokine, fly IL-6, disrupts the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the brain leading to host death (Developmental Cell, 2021), and we are further investigating the following areas in the Jung Kim Lab:

1) Systemic effects of tumors on stem cell homeostasis in hosts

2) Cellular and molecular mechanisms of blood-brain barrier damage by systemic inflammation

3) Novel tumor-secreted factors regulating host morbidity and mortality

1.   TC Hsi, K Ong, JJ Sepers, Jung Kim, D Bilder (2022) Systemic coagulopathy drives host lethality in a new Drosophila tumor model. bioRxiv

​2.   Jung Kim, HC Chuang, NK Wolf, CJ Nicolai, DH Raulet, K Saijo, D Bilder (2021) Tumor-induced disruption of the blood-brain barrier promotes host death. Developmental Cell 56 (19), 2712-2721. e4

     > Highlighted in Developmental Cell

     > Highlighted in The Scientist

​3.   D Bilder, K Ong, TC Hsi, K Adiga, Jung Kim (2021) Tumour–host interactions through the lens of Drosophila. Nature Reviews Cancer 21 (11), 687-700

​4.   Jung Kim, D Bilder, TP Neufeld (2018) Mechanical stress regulates insulin sensitivity through integrin-dependent control of insulin receptor localization. Genes & Development 32 (2), 156-164

     > Highlighted in Faculty Opinions (F1000 Prime)

5.   Jung Kim, TP Neufeld (2015) Dietary sugar promotes systemic TOR activation in Drosophila through AKH-dependent selective secretion of Dilp3. Nature Communications 6 (1), 1-10

     > Highlighted in Faculty Opinions (F1000 Prime)

6.   C Mauvezin, C Ayala, CR Braden, Jung Kim, TP Neufeld (2014) Assays to monitor autophagy in Drosophila. Methods 68 (1), 134-139

7.   IS Cho*, Jung Kim*, HY Seo, DH Lim, JS Hong, YH Park, DC Park, KC Hong, KY Whang, YS Lee (2010) Cloning and characterization of microRNAs from porcine skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Molecular Biology Reports 37 (7), 3567-3574

​8.   IS Cho*, Jung Kim*, DH Lim, HC Ahn, H Kim, KB Lee, YS Lee (2008) Improved serum stability and biophysical properties of siRNAs following chemical modifications. Biotechnology Letters 30 (11), 1901-1908

​9.   Jung Kim, IS Cho, JS Hong, YK Choi, H Kim, YS Lee (2008) Identification and characterization of new microRNAs from pig. Mammalian Genome 19 (7), 570-580​

10.   DH Lim*, Jung Kim*, S Kim, RW Carthew, YS Lee (2008) Functional analysis of dicer-2 missense mutations in the siRNA pathway of Drosophila. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 371 (3), 525-530

Media Coverage of Research:

• The Scientist

          https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/tumors-disrupt-the-blood-brain-barrier-at-a-distance-69171

• Berkely News

          https://news.berkeley.edu/2021/09/16/can-fruit-fly-research-help-improve-survival-of-cancer-patients/

• Medical Xpress

          https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-09-fruit-survival-cancer-patients.html