Johnny Kim

Many organs harbor resident stem cells that enable tissue-specific regeneration throughout adulthood. We and others have shown that cellular fate decisions are not irreversible but can be reverted and reprogrammed to an extent that differentiated cells acquire stem cell like features. Dr. Kim’s research employs systems biology approaches, advanced in-vitro models, and tissue-specific knockout mice to investigate the molecular mechanisms of cell fate decisions and their reversion. By deciphering these molecular principles, our interdisciplinary team aims to leverage this knowledge to combat the course of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer, as well as the decline in regenerative potential with aging. A key aspect of our research is thus based on controlled reactivation of early developmental programs to initiate epigenetic rejuvenation and restore or synthesize regenerative potential.

Our overarching goal is to develop novel therapeutic strategies against cardiovascular and age-associated diseases.

Vega-Sendino M and Lüttmann F et al., The homeobox transcription factor DUXBL controls exit from totipotency. Nature Genetics 2024 DOI

Chen Y, et al., Reversible reprogramming of cardiomyocytes to a fetal state drives heart regeneration in mice. Science 2021 DOI

Kim KP, et al., Permissive epigenomes endow reprogramming competence to transcriptional regulators. Nature Chemical Biology 2021 DOI

Preussner J, et al., Oncogenic Amplification of Zygotic Dux Factors in Regenerating p53-Deficient Muscle Stem Cells Defines a Molecular Cancer Subtype. Cell Stem Cell 2018 DOI