Kien Pham, PhD
Research Scientist in PathologyDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Research Scientist in Pathology
Operations Manager, YSM Biobank
Biography
Dr. Pham obtained her B.S degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, M.S degree in Applied Biosciences from the University of Arizona, and Ph.D degree in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Pharmacology and Therapeutics from the University of Florida. After completing a doctoral study in brain cancer, she received her postdoctoral training from Prof. Chen Liu, MD, PhD, Chair of Yale Pathology Department, an internationally renowned GI/liver pathologist and well-recognized investigator in viral hepatitis, liver cancer immunology, and cancer epigenetics. Before her appointment at the Department of Pathology in 2020, she was an Assistant Professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Pham has published a number of peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. She is an active contributor to many government- and industry-funded research projects, as well as a recipient of several awards for her outstanding performance. Dr. Pham's research focuses on cancer metastasis and resistance, precision cancer medicine, drug discovery, and disease modeling for basic and translational research.
Appointments
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- University of Florida (2016)
- PhD
- University of Florida, Biomedical Sciences (2013)
- MS
- University of Arizona, Applied Biosciences (2008)
- BS
- University of Arizona, Molecular and Cellular Biology (2006)
Research
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Kien Pham's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Kien Pham's research output by year.
He Wang, MD, PhD
Nathan Grubaugh, PhD
Samuel DeFina
Andreas Coppi
Bony De Kumar, PhD
Chaney Kalinich, MPH
30Publications
932Citations
Publications
2024
Combining 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 ResearchCitationsAltmetric
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 ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsElectronic 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 ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSARS-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 ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSpike 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 failureEmerging 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 ResearchConceptsOropharyngeal 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 researchInterferon 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 ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsDNA 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 samplesSynergizes
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 StatementsCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSARS-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 optionsE-Cigarettes Promote Macrophage-Tumor Cells Crosstalk: Focus on Breast Carcinoma Progression and Lung Metastasis
Pham K, DeFina S, Wang H. E-Cigarettes Promote Macrophage-Tumor Cells Crosstalk: Focus on Breast Carcinoma Progression and Lung Metastasis. Exploratory Research And Hypothesis In Medicine 2021, 6: 60-66. PMID: 35419501, PMCID: PMC9005083, DOI: 10.14218/erhm.2021.00002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsTumor-associated macrophagesBreast cancerMetastasis of BCTumor microenvironmentC motif chemokine ligand 5Enhanced tumor malignancyRisk of metastasisConventional cigarette smokingAggressive breast cancerChemokine ligand 5Breast carcinoma progressionCig vapingDNA damaging effectsCigarette smokingLung metastasesImmune cellsAggressive phenotypeBC progressionMacrophage activationCig useMetastasisTumor malignancyCarcinoma progressionE-cigsE-cigarettes
2020
Electronic Cigarettes Induce Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Trigger TLR9 (Toll-Like Receptor 9)-Mediated Atherosclerosis
Li J, Huynh L, Cornwell WD, Tang MS, Simborio H, Huang J, Kosmider B, Rogers TJ, Zhao H, Steinberg MB, Thu Thi Le L, Zhang L, Pham K, Liu C, Wang H. Electronic Cigarettes Induce Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Trigger TLR9 (Toll-Like Receptor 9)-Mediated Atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis And Vascular Biology 2020, 41: 839-853. PMID: 33380174, PMCID: PMC8608030, DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.120.315556.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAnimalsAortaAtherosclerosisDisease Models, AnimalDNA DamageDNA, MitochondrialE-Cigarette VaporFemaleHumansInflammationInflammation MediatorsMacrophagesMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, Knockout, ApoEMiddle AgedMitochondriaRAW 264.7 CellsSignal TransductionSmokersToll-Like Receptor 9VapingConceptsECV exposureTLR9 expressionInflammatory cytokinesClassical monocytesTLR9 activationAtherosclerotic plaquesEight-week-old ApoEUpregulation of TLR9Expression of TLR9Atherosclerotic lesion developmentOil Red O stainingToll-like receptorsDays/weekE-cig exposureMonocytes/macrophagesNormal laboratory dietRed O stainingPotential pharmacological targetElectronic cigarette useHours/dayProinflammatory cytokinesCig vaporPlasma levelsTLR9 antagonistTLR9 inhibitorE-cigarette promotes breast carcinoma progression and lung metastasis: Macrophage-tumor cells crosstalk and the role of CCL5 and VCAM-1
Pham K, Huynh D, Le L, Delitto D, Yang L, Huang J, Kang Y, Steinberg MB, Li J, Zhang L, Liu D, Tang MS, Liu C, Wang H. E-cigarette promotes breast carcinoma progression and lung metastasis: Macrophage-tumor cells crosstalk and the role of CCL5 and VCAM-1. Cancer Letters 2020, 491: 132-145. PMID: 32829009, PMCID: PMC9703643, DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.08.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsBC cell growthCig exposureLung metastasesBreast cancerVCAM-1V-CAM-1Role of CCL5Upregulated protein expressionBC cell survivalE-cig exposurePro-tumorigenic factorsBC cell apoptosisBreast carcinoma progressionMetastatic lung colonizationCCR5 axisMFP tumorsTAMs infiltrationInfiltrated macrophagesCell growthCo-culture systemImmunohistochemical stainsCell crosstalkBC cellsBC growthProliferation index
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
honor AIMS Awards
Other AwardDetails03/10/2020United Stateshonor Experimental Pathology Innovative Grant Award
Other AwardDetails04/21/2014United Stateshonor Medical Guild Research Incentive Award
Other AwardDetails05/10/2010United Stateshonor Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences Fellowship
Other AwardDetails08/04/2008United Stateshonor Galileo Circle Scholar
Other AwardDetails05/12/2008United States
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