Jonghan Kim, Ph.D.

Expertise

Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Toxicology, Iron Disorders, Nanomedicine, Drug Delivery, Hematology, Neurodegeneration

Research Interests

Jonghan Kim's research interests center around the characterization of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs and metals, including essential metals (iron, zinc, copper, and manganese) and toxic heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic), and drug/metal-induced toxicity in the context of environmental exposure and genetic susceptibility.

Using various transgenic animal models of iron deficiency and overload, we further evaluate the physiological relevance of genes and molecules responsible for impaired iron transport in the development and progression of hematological, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders – important and current public health issues.

In addition, we develop novel therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat iron-associated disorders, including 1) small molecule-based metal transport modulators, 2) nanoparticle-based detox therapy and 3) tissue-specific gene delivery and therapy.

Education

• Ph.D.: Pharmaceutical Sciences, (2004), Ohio State University College of Pharmacy - Columbus, Ohio
• MS: Pharmacology, (1997), Seoul National University College of Pharmacy - Seoul, South Korea
• BS: Pharmacy, (1995), Seoul National University, College of Pharmacy - Seoul, South Korea

Biosketch

Jonghan Kim is Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences at UMass Lowell. He received a BS degree in Pharmacy and an MS degree in Pharmacology from Seoul National University and a PhD degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Ohio State University with a study focused on protein transport. During his postdoc training at the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, he investigated the transport mechanisms of iron and manganese through the alimentary and respiratory tracts and the brain. His research interests center around the characterization of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicology of drugs and biometals in the context of genetic susceptibility and nutrition.

Selected Awards and Honors

• The Gerald Schumacher Pharmacy Faculty Award, School of Pharmacy (2016), Scholarship/Research - Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
• The Rho Chi Society Induction (2015)
• Excellence in Tutoring Award, Academic Center for Teaching and Learning (2012), Teaching - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
• Yerby Postdoctoral Fellowship (2010) - Faculty Development Fellowship Program, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
• Interdisciplinary Training Fellowship Award (2008) - NIH Roadmap Postdoctoral Fellowship

Selected Publications

• Dhaliwal , H.K., Fan, Y., Kim, J., Amiji, M.M. (2020). Intranasal Delivery and Transfection of mRNA Therapeutics in the Brain Using Cationic Liposomes. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 17: 1996-2005.
• Jones, G., Goswami, S.K., Kang, H., Choi, H., Kim, J. (2020). Combating iron overload: A case for deferoxamine-based nanochelators. Nanomedicine, 15: 1341-1356.
• Gleba, J., Kim, J. (2020). A Mechanism Based Forensic Investigation into the Postmortem Redistribution of Morphine. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 44: 256-262.
• Kang, H., Han, M., Xue, J., Baek, Y., Chang, J., Hu, S., Nam, H., Jo, M., El Fakhri, G., Hutchens, M.P., Choi, H., Kim, J. (2019). Renal clearable nanochelators for iron overload therapy. Nature Communications, 10: 5134.
• Fan, Y., Dhaliwal, H.K., Menon, A.V., Chang, J., Choi, J.E., Amiji, M.M., Kim, J. (2019). Site-specific intestinal DMT1 silencing to mitigate iron absorption using pH-sensitive multi-compartmental nanoparticulate oral delivery system. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 22: 102091.
• Ye, Q., Trivedi, M., Zhang, Y., Böhlke, M., Alsulimani, H., Chang, J., Maher, T., Deth, R., Kim, J. (2019). Brain iron loading impairs DNA methylation and alters GABAergic function in mice. The FASEB Journal, 33: 2460-2471.
• Lee, J., Bubar, C.T., Moon, H.G., Kim, J., Busnaina, A., Lee, H., Shefelbine, S.J. (2018). Measuring Bone Biomarker Alkaline Phosphatase with Wafer-Scale Nanowell Array Electrodes. ACS Sensors, 3: 2709-2715.
• Sukumaran, A., Chang, J., Han, M., Mintri, S., Khaw, B., Kim, J. (2017). Iron overload exacerbates age-associated cardiac hypertrophy in a mouse model of hemochromatosis. Scientific Reports, 7: 5756.
• Grillo, A.S., SantaMaria , A.M., Kafina, M.D., Huston, N.C., Cioffi, A.G., Han, M., Seo, Y.A., Yien, Y.Y., Nardone, C., Menon, A.V., Fan, J., Svoboda, D.C., Anderson, J.B., Hong, J.D., Nicolau, B.C., Subedi, K., Gewirth, A.A., Wessling-Resnick, M., Kim, J., Paw, B.H., Burke, M.D. (2017). Restored iron transport by a small molecule promotes absorption and hemoglobinization in animals. Science, 356: 608-616.
• Han, M., Chang, J., Kim, J. (2016). Loss of divalent metal transporter 1 function promotes brain copper accumulation and increases impulsivity. Journal of Neurochemistry, 138: 918-928.
• Alsulimani, H.H., Kim, J., Sani, S.N. (2016). Microdialysis-directed Intra-tumor Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Methotrexate in Mice and Humans. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 19: 239-251.