Han, Jin-Kwan, Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Life Science
Division of Molecular and Life Sciences
Cell and Development Biology

Publications Abstract
E-mail jkh@postech.ac.kr
Phone +82-54-279-2126(office)
          +82-54-279-5542(lab.)
Laboratory Developmental Biology lab.

Profile |  Research Interests  |  Selected Publications

Profile

Research Interests

Developmental Biology
We are concerned with two important problems in developmental biology. Firstly, our laboratory is interested in understanding how spatial patterns of animal body is established during development. To address this problem, we are tring to identify genes expressed at different positions along the anterior-posterior, dorsal-ventral body axis of the amphibian Xenopus laevis embryo. We have isolated a number of candidate genes involved in pattern formation of the Xenopus embryo. Using morphological, cell biological, and molecular biological approaches, we are currently investigating precise roles of these genes during embryogenesis.
Secondly, we are also interested in the question of how vertebrate meiotic cell cycle is reinitiated by hormone, and also how embryonic cleavage cycle is regulated. Again, Xenopus oocytes and rapidly dividing Xenopus embryos provide excellent model system to study such problems. We have found that inositol lipid metabolites as well as their down stream effector molecules are critical in both meiotic and embryonic cell division. Our current efforts involve the cellular and molecular analysis of the transmembrane signalling mechanisms during the process of the cell cycle.

Selected Publications 

1. Cho GS, Choi SC, Park EC and Han JK (2011)
   Role of Tbx2 in Defining the Territory of Pronephric Nephron
   Development
2. Cheong SM, Kim H, Han JK (2009)
   Identification of a novel negative regulator of activin/nodal signaling in mesendodermal formation of Xenopus embryos
   Journal of Biological Chemistry
3. Kim H, Cheong SM, Ryu J, Jung HJ, Jho EH, Han JK (2009)
   Xenopus Wntless and the Retromer complex cooperate to regulate XWnt4 secretion
   Molecular and Cellular Biology   
4. Kim GH, Her JH, Han JK (2008)
   Ryk cooperates with Frizzled 7 to promote Wnt11-mediated endocytosis and is essential for Xenopus convergent extension movements
   Journal of Cell Biology
5. Choi SC, Kim GH, Lee SJ, Park E, Yeo CY, Han JK (2008)
   Regulation of Activin/Nodal Signaling by Rap2-Directed Receptor Trafficking
   Developmental Cell   
6. Kim GH, Han JK (2007)
   Essential role for beta-arrestin 2 in the regulation of Xenopus convergent extension movements
   The EMBO Journal 
7. Yun CH, Choi SC, Park E, Kim SJ, Chung AS, Lee HK, Lee HJ, Han JK (2007)
   Negative Regulation of Activin/Nodal Signaling by SRF during Xenopus Gastrulation
   Development
    

Division of Molecular & Life Sciences| POSTECH