Research Bio
Unlike cells within solid tissues, circulating leukocytes relocate during the course of immune reactions and dynamically adhere and de-adhere to cells of the vasculature and to other immune cells, as well as to components of the extracellular matrix. A subset of integrins (LFA-1, Mac-1, and VLA4) are expressed on leukocytes and play a major role in regulating leukocyte adhesion and recruitment to damaged or infected tissues during inflammatory responses. The activity of integrins to bind ligands is dynamically and tightly regulated through conformational changes from inactive form to the active one that binds ligands with high affinity.
Under a wide range of pathologic conditions, these mechanisms of integrin activation are mis-regulated resulting in abnormal leukocyte trafficking, and direct damage to the vasculature and the underlying tissue making leukocyte integrins a promising therapeutic target for anti-inflammation therapy. Therefore, it would be critical to understand how integrins and their ligands bind to one another, the flow of conformational changes from one integrin domain to another, and the connections to other signaling molecules.
In order to visualize the conformational changes in integrin LFA-1 and its dynamic redistribution on the plasma membrane, we applied the quantitative imaging technique FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) to living cells. Our current research focuses on integrin-mediated leukocyte migration during inflammation. By employing advanced imaging techniques including FRET, live cell imaging, 3D confocal-image reconstruction, IRM (interference reflection microscopy), and TIRFM (total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy), we are trying to improve our understanding of the supramolecular/architectural properties of leukocyte integrins with particular emphasis on their relationship with leukocyte migration. In addition, we are interested in visualizing dynamic interactions of intracellular signaling molecules and identifying new molecules that regulate integrin activation during the leukocyte chemotaxis.
| Brown University Seed Fund Award (Co-investigator) |
2007 |
| Rhode Island Foundation, Medical Research Grant |
2005 |
| American Heart Association, Scientist Developmental Grant |
2005 |
| DDW Poster of Distinction |
2001 |
| DDW Poster of Distinction |
2000 |
| American Digestive Health Foundation Student Abstract Award |
2000 |
| Digestive Disease Week (DDW) Poster of Distinction |
1999 |
| Honor student of 1992 by Korea University |
1992 |
2013 Mar
Ball CJ, Reiffel AJ, Chintalapani S, Kim M, Spector JA, King MR. "Hydrogen sulfide reduces neutrophil recruitment in hind-limb ischemia-reperfusion injury in an L-selectin and ADAM-17-dependent manner." Plastic and reconstructive surgery. 2013 Mar 0; 131(3):487-97. |
2013 Feb
Yu C, Xu L, Chen LF, Guan YJ, Kim M, Biffl WL, Eugene Chin Y. "PRBC-derived plasma induces non-muscle myosin type IIA-mediated neutrophil migration and morphologic change." Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology. 2013 Feb 0; 35(1):71-9. Epub 2012 Oct 19. |
2012 Aug
Sarangi PP, Hyun YM, Lerman YV, Pietropaoli AP, Kim M. "Role of ?1 integrin in tissue homing of neutrophils during sepsis." Shock (Augusta, Ga.). 2012 Aug 0; 38(3):281-7. |
2012 Jul 2
Hyun YM, Sumagin R, Sarangi PP, Lomakina E, Overstreet MG, Baker CM, Fowell DJ, Waugh RE, Sarelius IH, Kim M. "Uropod elongation is a common final step in leukocyte extravasation through inflamed vessels." The Journal of experimental medicine. 2012 Jul 2; 209(7):1349-62. Epub 2012 Jun 18. |
2012 Jun 26
Baker CM, Comrie WA, Hyun YM, Chung HL, Fedorchuk CA, Lim K, Brakebusch C, McGrath JL, Waugh RE, Meier-Schellersheim M, Kim M. "Opposing roles for RhoH GTPase during T-cell migration and activation." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
of America. 2012 Jun 26; 109(26):10474-9. Epub 2012 Jun 11. |
