Kien Pham, PhD
Research Scientist in PathologyCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Exploring Glypican-3 targeted CAR-NK treatment and potential therapy resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma
Yang L, Pham K, Xi Y, Wu Q, Liu D, Robertson K, Liu C. Exploring Glypican-3 targeted CAR-NK treatment and potential therapy resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. PLOS ONE 2025, 20: e0317401. PMID: 39841705, PMCID: PMC11753693, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0317401.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGlypican-3Hepatocellular carcinomaCAR-NKNatural killerCell linesCAR-NK therapyCAR-NK cellsTreatment of hepatocellular carcinomaNK cell lineAnti-tumor effectsCancer-related mortalitySuppressed tumor growthPrimary liver cancerInfluence therapeutic outcomesCells in vitroHepatocellular carcinoma treatmentHepG2 cells in vitroNK92MI cellsImmunotherapy strategiesNSG miceImmunotherapy targetOncofetal glycoproteinTherapy resistanceImprove patient outcomesPoor prognosis
2024
Epigenetic heterogeneity hotspots in human liver disease progression.
Hlady R, Zhao X, El Khoury L, Wagner R, Luna A, Pham K, Pyrosopoulos N, Jain D, Wang L, Liu C, Robertson K. Epigenetic heterogeneity hotspots in human liver disease progression. Hepatology 2024 PMID: 39028883, DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000001023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEpigenetic heterogeneityGenome-wide profiling of DNA methylationProfiling of DNA methylationDNA methylation landscapeGenome-wide profilingGene expression heterogeneityCopy number variationsMethylation landscapeOnset of liver cancerDNA methylationLiver disease developmentPhenotypic effectsNumber variationsGenetic heterogeneityTranscriptional heterogeneityFunctional screeningLiver disease progressionCopy numberExpression heterogeneityGene expressionTumor suppressorHuman diseasesGenesPathological phenotypesKey pathwaysCombining genomic data and infection estimates to characterize the complex dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants in the US
Lopes R, Pham K, Klaassen F, Chitwood M, Hahn A, Redmond S, Swartwood N, Salomon J, Menzies N, Cohen T, Grubaugh N. Combining genomic data and infection estimates to characterize the complex dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants in the US. Cell Reports 2024, 43: 114451. PMID: 38970788, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114451.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Enhanced inhibition of MHC-I expression by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants
Moriyama M, Lucas C, Monteiro V, Initiative Y, Iwasaki A, Chen N, Breban M, Hahn A, Pham K, Koch T, Chaguza C, Tikhonova I, Castaldi C, Mane S, De Kumar B, Ferguson D, Kerantzas N, Peaper D, Landry M, Schulz W, Vogels C, Grubaugh N. Enhanced inhibition of MHC-I expression by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2221652120. PMID: 37036977, PMCID: PMC10120007, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221652120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMHC-I expressionBreakthrough infectionsSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variantsMajor histocompatibility complex class I expressionCell-mediated immunityInfluenza virus infectionSARS-CoV-2 VOCsMHC-I upregulationClass I expressionSARS-CoV-2T cell recognitionVirus infectionMHC II expressionSpike proteinEnhanced inhibitionInfectionCell recognitionCommon mutationsReinfectionE proteinAntibodiesViral genesSubvariantsExpression
2022
Nicotine dose-dependent epigenomic-wide DNA methylation changes in the mice with long-term electronic cigarette exposure.
Peng G, Xi Y, Bellini C, Pham K, Zhuang ZW, Yan Q, Jia M, Wang G, Lu L, Tang MS, Zhao H, Wang H. Nicotine dose-dependent epigenomic-wide DNA methylation changes in the mice with long-term electronic cigarette exposure. American Journal Of Cancer Research 2022, 12: 3679-3692. PMID: 36119846, PMCID: PMC9442002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchElectronic cigarette exposureCigarette exposureMale ApoE-/- miceApoE-/- miceCytokine mRNA expressionPoor health outcomesWhite blood cellsElectronic cigarette useDose-dependent mannerE-cigarette aerosolAerosol inhalationCigarette smokingActivation of MAPKHigher nicotine concentrationsMAPK pathway activationCell-damaging effectsCpG sitesHealth outcomesCigarette useMRNA expressionNicotine concentrationsPathway activationSignificant CpG sitesBlood cellsSignificant alterationsSaliVISION: a rapid saliva-based COVID-19 screening and diagnostic test with high sensitivity and specificity
DeFina SM, Wang J, Yang L, Zhou H, Adams J, Cushing W, Tuohy B, Hui P, Liu C, Pham K. SaliVISION: a rapid saliva-based COVID-19 screening and diagnostic test with high sensitivity and specificity. Scientific Reports 2022, 12: 5729. PMID: 35388102, PMCID: PMC8986854, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09718-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Diagnostic testingRespiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplificationTranscription loop-mediated isothermal amplificationTranscription-quantitative polymerase chain reactionSyndrome coronavirus 2COVID-19 diagnostic testingCoronavirus disease 2019Public health challengeRapid diagnostic testingCOVID-19 screeningQuantitative polymerase chain reactionLoop-mediated isothermal amplificationCoronavirus 2Polymerase chain reactionLaboratory testingRapid diagnostic assaysDisease 2019RT-LAMPInvasive sample collectionDiagnostic testsChain reactionRapid emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is associated with an infection advantage over Delta in vaccinated persons
Chaguza C, Coppi A, Earnest R, Ferguson D, Kerantzas N, Warner F, Young HP, Breban MI, Billig K, Koch RT, Pham K, Kalinich CC, Ott IM, Fauver JR, Hahn AM, Tikhonova IR, Castaldi C, De Kumar B, Pettker CM, Warren JL, Weinberger DM, Landry ML, Peaper DR, Schulz W, Vogels CBF, Grubaugh ND. Rapid emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is associated with an infection advantage over Delta in vaccinated persons. Med 2022, 3: 325-334.e4. PMID: 35399324, PMCID: PMC8983481, DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2022.03.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpike gene target failureSARS-CoV-2 Omicron variantPositivity rateOmicron variantOmicron infectionVaccine dosesVaccine-induced immunityNumber of dosesTest positivity rateOdds of infectionSARS-CoV-2Significant reductionDominant Delta variantUnvaccinated personsVaccination statusHigher oddsDelta variantInfectionVaccine manufacturersDisease controlVirus copiesDosesPCR testOddsTarget failureInterferon drives HCV scarring of the epigenome and creates targetable vulnerabilities following viral clearance
Hlady RA, Zhao X, Khoury L, Luna A, Pham K, Wu Q, Lee J, Pyrsopoulos NT, Liu C, Robertson KD. Interferon drives HCV scarring of the epigenome and creates targetable vulnerabilities following viral clearance. Hepatology 2022, 75: 983-996. PMID: 34387871, PMCID: PMC9416882, DOI: 10.1002/hep.32111.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDNA methylationHistone modificationsWide DNA methylationAberrant DNA methylationGene expression analysisDNA methyltransferase inhibitorOpen chromatinEpigenetic mechanismsEpigenetic targetsHuman patient samplesEpigenetic changesEpigenomeMethyltransferase inhibitorTargetable vulnerabilitiesMethylationHCC cell linesImmortalized hepatocytesCell linesFunctional effectsChronic HCV infectionChromatinHCV infectionImmune responsePatient samplesSynergizesEmerging Trends in the Pathological Research of Human Papillomavirus-positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Crane J, Shi Q, Xi Y, Lai J, Pham K, Wang H. Emerging Trends in the Pathological Research of Human Papillomavirus-positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Journal Of Clinical And Translational Pathology 2022, 2: 31-36. PMID: 36275841, PMCID: PMC9585478, DOI: 10.14218/jctp.2022.00004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomaSquamous cell carcinomaCell carcinomaHuman papillomavirusHuman papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomaHPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomaHPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomaActive human papillomavirusNew targetsLong-term survivalPotential new targetsDefinitive treatmentHPV 16Treatment optionsSurvival prognosisTumor prognosisAdvanced stageHealth responsePrecision treatmentPrecision medicinePatientsCarcinomaPrognosisTreatmentPathological research
2021
Potential role of IFN-α in COVID-19 patients and its underlying treatment options
Yang L, Wang J, Hui P, Yarovinsky TO, Badeti S, Pham K, Liu C. Potential role of IFN-α in COVID-19 patients and its underlying treatment options. Applied Microbiology And Biotechnology 2021, 105: 4005-4015. PMID: 33950278, PMCID: PMC8096625, DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11319-6.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsSARS-CoV-2 infectionIFN-α subtypesRespiratory virus diseasesCOVID-19 patientsImmunoregulatory effectsInflammatory responseSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2COVID-19 pathogenesisTreatment of patientsUncontrolled inflammatory responseSyndrome coronavirus 2Interferon-stimulated gene expressionPotential therapeutic strategySeverity of infectionSARS-CoV-2Virus diseaseInnate immune systemPossible side effectsCOVID-19 diseaseViral infection treatmentDrug candidatesCoronavirus 2Treatment options