Contact Information
Summary
Jihyun Kim, Ph.D., earned her undergraduate degree in Applied Biology and Chemistry from Seoul National University in 2015. She completed her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at Seoul National University College of Medicine in 2020. From 2020 to 2023, Dr. Kim was a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University. Subsequently, she served as a research assistant professor from 2023 to 2025. Her research has focused on identifying the role of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in respiratory diseases and their interactions with other immune cells in the lung.
In February 2025, Dr. Kim joined Dr. Nagao’s lab as a postdoctoral visiting fellow in the Cutaneous Leukocyte Biology Section at NIAMS.
Research Statement
Dr. Kim has demonstrated that subpopulations of ILCs—ILC1s, ILC2s, and ILC3s—are key pathological regulators that interact with other lung cells and contribute to disease development. Using human samples and mouse models of lung diseases such as asthma, COPD, and lung cancer, she has shown that these ILC subsets play crucial roles in disease pathology.
Now, Dr. Kim is expanding her research focus to skin immunity, particularly investigating the role of ILCs in regulating skin homeostasis and their involvement in skin diseases.
Scientific Publications
Education
Seoul National University
Ph.D. in Biomedical Science (2015-2020)
Seoul National University
B.S. in Applied Biology and Chemistry (2011-2015)
Experience
Research Assistant Professor
Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University (2023-2025)
Senior Researcher
Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University (2021-2023)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University (2020-2021)