Biography
Dr. Kim obtained his Ph.D. in microbial molecular genetics from the University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI) and completed his postdoctoral research in cellular and molecular biology at Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO). He was a faculty member at the University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, MS) and the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Washington, DC). He joined the Department of Biology and Chemistry at Liberty in 2018. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of nutrient sensing and metabolite signaling, with the goal of understanding how nutrients and metabolites transduce information to cellular effector functions. Undergraduate research is an indispensable part of the academic process. Over the years, he has mentored a dozen undergraduate research assistants. They used biochemical, molecular and cell biological, genomic, and proteomic approaches to learn how eukaryotic cells sense glucose through the plasma membrane. Most of these students presented their research at national conferences and published their work in peer-reviewed international journals. Students involved in Dr. Kim’s research take BIOL495 during the academic semesters and receive intensive research training throughout the 8-week course of the Summer Research Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology.
Courses Taught
- BIOL 301 – Genetics
- BIOL 301L – Genetics Lab
- BIOL 455 – Molecular Techniques
- BIOL 495 – Special Problems in Biology
- BIOL 503 – Human Genetics
Research Interests
Dr. Kim’s research interests are largely directed toward understanding how environmental cues interact with genetic components to regulate cell growth and development. He is particularly interested in learning how nutrients and metabolites transduce information to cellular effector functions and how dysregulation of this process leads to metabolic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Professional Memberships
- American Society for Genetics
- American Society for Cell Biology
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Publications
Presentations