Research Interest

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

Differentiation of stem cells & reprogramming of somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells

Cancer stem cell-targeted therapy of cancer

Research Summary

My laboratory aims to identify the mechanisms for self-renewl and differentiation of embryonic and adult stem cells and to develop regenerative medical technologies based on these stem cells.

1, development of stem cell-based new therapeutics for incurable diseases

2, development of disease modeling systems using the patients-derived induced pluripotent stem cells.

3, investigation of the molecular mechanism associated with the somatic cell reprogramming.

We also aims to understand the molecular mechanism underlying tumorigeneis and metastasis of cancer through elucidating the molecular identities of cancer stem cells. In addition, we develop new diagnostics and therapeutics targeting cancer stem cells. To this end, we are studying the discovery of new biomarkers for cancer stem cells, the production of antibodies to them, and the development of cancer diagnosis and targeted therapy.

Selected publication

1. Jeon, E. S. et al. (2008) A Rho Kinase/MRTF-A-Dependent Mechanism Underlies the Sphingosylphosphorylcholine-Induced Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Contractile Smooth Muscle Cells. Circ. Res. 103(6):635-42.

2. Kim, M. R., et al. (2009) Thromboxane A2 Induces Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Smooth Muscle-Like Cells. Stem Cells. 27(1):191-9.

3. Shin, S. H., et al. (2012) Proteomic identification of betaig-h3 as a lysophosphatidic acid-induced secreted protein of human mesenchymal stem cells: paracrine activation of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells by betaig-h3. Mol Cell Proteomics, 11(2):M111.012385.

4. Lee MJ, et al. (2012) Macrophages Regulate Smooth Muscle Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells via a Prostaglandin F2α-Mediated Paracrine Mechanism. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 32(11):2733-40

5. Heo, SC et al. (2014) WKYMVm-induced activation of formyl peptide receptor 2 stimulates ischemic neovasculogenesis by promoting homing of endothelial colony forming cells. Stem Cells. 32(3):779-90

6. Do. E. K. et al. (2014) Reptin regulates pluripotency of embryonic stem cells and somatic cell reprogramming through Oct4-dependent mechanism. Stem Cells. 32(12):3126-36.

7. Choi, Y. H. et al. (2015) Injectable PLGA microspheres encapsulating WKYMVm peptide for neovascularization. Acta Biomater. 25:76-85.

8. Seo, E. J. et al. (2016) Autotaxin regulates maintenance of ovarian cancer stem cells through lysophosphatidic acid-mediated autocrine mechanism. Stem Cells, 34(3):551-64.

9. Heo, S. C. et al. (2017) Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 is Involved in Cardiac Repair after Myocardial Infarction Through Mobilization of Circulating Angiogenic Cells. Stem Cells. 35(3):654-665.

10. Kim, B. S. et al. (2018) 3D cell printing of in vitro stabilized skin model and in vivo pre-vascularized skin patch using tissue-specific extracellular matrix bioink: A step towards advanced skin tissue engineering. Biomaterials, 168:38-53.

11. Kwon YW, Lee SJ, Heo SC, Lee TW, Park GT, Yoon JW, Kim SC, Shin JH, Lee SC, Kim JH (2019) Role of CXCR2 in the Ac-PGP-Induced Mobilization of Circulating Angiogenic Cells and its Therapeutic Implications. 2018. Stem Cells Translational Medicine. 2019 Mar;8(3):236-246. doi: 10.1002/sctm.18-0035.

12. Do. E. K. et al. (2020) KAP1 regulates the self-renewal of embryonic stem cells and cellular reprogramming by modulating Oct4 protein stability. Cell Death & Differentiation, Online ahead of print.