Hee-Hoon Kim, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate in PathologyAbout
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Titles
Postdoctoral Associate in Pathology
Biography
Hee-Hoon is a postdoctoral associate in the Dixit lab, where his primary focus is on discovering immunometabolic targets that can restrain inflammation and promote healthy aging. He is currently investigating the golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus), a novel and remarkably resilient model organism for healthy aging. Through this unique model, he aims to identify dormant pathways that can be harnessed to extend human healthspan. In addition, Hee-Hoon is working to define and classify 'adaptokines,' which are key secretory molecules in the body's adaptation to disruptions in its immune-metabolic balance during the aging process.
Last Updated on March 04, 2026.
Appointments
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral researcher
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (2023)
- PhD
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering (2022)
Research
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Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Hee-Hoon Kim's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Hee-Hoon Kim's research output by year.
Young-Ri Shim
Vishwa Deep Dixit, DVM, PhD
Tamara Dlugos
Yun-Hee Youm
Albert C Shaw, MD, PhD
Subhasis Mohanty, PhD
23Publications
400Citations
Publications
2026
Immunometabolic resistors of aging in long-lived golden spiny mice
Kim H, Sagiv-Zangi T, Youm Y, Vardi-Naim H, Dlugos T, Strino F, Kazavchinsky-Bar M, Egulsky L, Bodogai M, Biragyn A, Kluger Y, Kronfeld-Schor N, Dixit V. Immunometabolic resistors of aging in long-lived golden spiny mice. Science Advances 2026, 12: eaec9991. PMID: 41739938, PMCID: PMC12935055, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aec9991.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetric
2025
Metabolic regulation of immunological aging
Kim H, Dixit V. Metabolic regulation of immunological aging. Nature Aging 2025, 5: 1425-1440. PMID: 40813811, DOI: 10.1038/s43587-025-00921-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsImmune cellsLoss of naive T cellsT-cell receptor repertoire diversityImmune systemNaive T cellsAge-related thymic involutionInnate immune cellsImmunometabolic mechanismsT cellsImmunological agingThymic involutionRepertoire diversityChronic inflammationGeneration of metabolitesDietary interventionReproductive ageOrganismal metabolismAltered metabolismDisease susceptibilityMolecular perturbationsFunctional declineMetabolic mechanismsMetabolic systemsBiological activityAgeExoproteome of calorie-restricted humans identifies complement deactivation as an immunometabolic checkpoint reducing inflammaging.
Mishra M, Kim HH, Youm YH, Gonzalez-Hurtado E, Zaitsev K, Dlugos T, Shchukina I, Gliniak C, Ravussin E, Mohanty S, Shaw AC, Scherer PE, Artyomov MN, Dixit VD. Exoproteome of calorie-restricted humans identifies complement deactivation as an immunometabolic checkpoint reducing inflammaging. BioRxiv 2025 PMID: 40799539, DOI: 10.1101/2025.08.04.668533.Publications for non-academic audiencesBinge drinking triggers VGLUT3-mediated glutamate secretion and subsequent hepatic inflammation by activating mGluR5/NOX2 in Kupffer cells
Yang K, Kim K, Ryu T, Shim Y, Kim H, Choi S, Kim M, Chung K, Lee E, Lee K, Jeon J, Kim P, Kim Y, Ku T, Jeong H, Nam K, Lim G, Choi D, Kim S, Eun H, Kim W, Jeong W. Binge drinking triggers VGLUT3-mediated glutamate secretion and subsequent hepatic inflammation by activating mGluR5/NOX2 in Kupffer cells. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 5546. PMID: 40595616, PMCID: PMC12216207, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60820-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsVesicular glutamate transporter 3Alcohol-related steatohepatitisKupffer cellsIntracellular Ca2+ levelsMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5Chronic alcohol intakeBinge drinkingImmune cell activationGlutamate receptor 5Analysis of patient samplesCa2+ levelsHepatic amino acid metabolismNADPH oxidase 2Plasma glutamate concentrationExocytosis of glutamateAlcohol intakeReceptor 5Male miceAryl hydrocarbon receptorAmino acid metabolismHepatic inflammationCell activationPerivenous hepatocytesGlutamate secretionPatient samplesHormetic elevation of taurine restrains inflammaging by deactivating the NLRP3 inflammasome.
Guan C, Ryu S, Dong M, Youm YH, Mohanty S, Maeda R, Orliaguet L, Kim HH, Dlugos T, Smith SR, Ravussin E, Onyuru J, Wang A, Shaw AC, Hoffman HM, Kluger Y, Sugiura Y, Dixit VD. Hormetic elevation of taurine restrains inflammaging by deactivating the NLRP3 inflammasome. BioRxiv 2025 PMID: 40501605, DOI: 10.1101/2025.05.27.656381.Publications for non-academic audiences
2024
Defying “IL-11ness” by inhibiting inflammation: Strategy for health and longevity
Kim H, Dixit V. Defying “IL-11ness” by inhibiting inflammation: Strategy for health and longevity. Cell Metabolism 2024, 36: 1911-1913. PMID: 39232279, DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.08.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricCX3CR1+ macrophages interact with hepatic stellate cells to promote hepatocellular carcinoma through CD8+ T cell suppression.
Jeong JM, Choi SE, Shim YR, Kim HH, Lee YS, Yang K, Kim K, Kim MJ, Chung KPS, Kim SH, Byun JS, Eun HS, Jeong WI. CX3CR1+ macrophages interact with hepatic stellate cells to promote hepatocellular carcinoma through CD8+ T cell suppression. Hepatology 2024 PMID: 39028913, DOI: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001021.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
xCT-mediated glutamate excretion in white adipocytes stimulates interferon-γ production by natural killer cells in obesity
Kim H, Shim Y, Kim H, Yang K, Ryu T, Kim K, Choi S, Kim M, Woo C, Chung K, Hong S, Shin H, Suh J, Jung Y, Hwang G, Kim W, Kim S, Eun H, Seong J, Jeong W. xCT-mediated glutamate excretion in white adipocytes stimulates interferon-γ production by natural killer cells in obesity. Cell Reports 2023, 42: 112636. PMID: 37310859, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112636.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsIFN-g productionObesity-related metabolic disordersNK cellsIFN-gNatural killer (NK) cellsMetabolic disordersMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5NK cell recruitmentNatural killer cellsInterferon-g productionC-X-C motif chemokine ligandGlutamate receptor 5Effect of obesityC-X-CMotif chemokine ligandKiller cellsGlutamate excretionBidirectional pathwaysCXCL12/CXCR4 axisWhite adipose tissueCXCL12 expressionReceptor 5Cell recruitmentInflammatory activityChemokine ligandComprehensive transcriptomic analysis and meta-analysis identify therapeutic effects of N-acetylcysteine in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Yang K, Kim H, Shim Y, Ryu T, Kim C. Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis and meta-analysis identify therapeutic effects of N-acetylcysteine in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Frontiers In Pharmacology 2023, 14: 1186582. PMID: 37256235, PMCID: PMC10225598, DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1186582.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsNonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseEffect of N-acetylcysteineN-acetylcysteineFatty liver diseaseLiver diseaseEfficacy of N-acetylcysteineProtective effect of N-acetylcysteineTherapeutic potentialPrevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseTherapeutic effect of N-acetylcysteineMeta-analysisLevels compared to controlsN-acetylcysteine treatmentAssociated with NAFLD developmentSystematic Review CentrePreclinical studiesClinical trialsLiver injuryWeb of ScienceGlucose intoleranceTherapeutic effectGlobal health issueCochrane LibraryEgger's testHepatic steatosisExosome-Based Delivery of Super-Repressor IκBα Alleviates Alcohol-Associated Liver Injury in Mice
Kim H, Shim Y, Choi S, Falana T, Yoo J, Ahn S, Park M, Seo H, Choi C, Jeong W. Exosome-Based Delivery of Super-Repressor IκBα Alleviates Alcohol-Associated Liver Injury in Mice. Pharmaceutics 2023, 15: 636. PMID: 36839957, PMCID: PMC9965399, DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020636.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsAlcohol-associated liver injuryAlcohol-associated liver diseaseInflammatory gene expression levelsInfiltration of neutrophilsKupffer cellsLiver injuryModulation of NF-kB activationActivation of Kupffer cellsGene expression levelsExpression levelsAlcohol binge drinkingNuclear translocation of NF-kBGut-derived lipopolysaccharideHepatic stellate cellsTranslocation of NF-kBNuclear factor-KBNF-kB activationEfficient therapeutic approachApoptosis of hepatocytesIntravenous injectionLiver diseaseTherapeutic approachesExosome technologyInflammatory responseStellate cells
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Mailing Address
Pathology
310 Cedar Street, BML 316A
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
Locations
Brady Memorial Laboratory
Lab
310 Cedar Street, Fl 3rd, Rm 316A
New Haven, CT 06510