You-Me Kim, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Life Science
Division of Molecular and Life Sciences
Immune Cell Biology,
Immune Modulator Discovery

 
E-mail  youmekim@postech.ac.krr
Phone  054-279-0689

Profile |  Research Interests  |  Selected Publications

Profile

Research Interests

I. Cell Biology of the Innate Immune Receptor Pathways
The innate immune system of human bodies provides the immediate and effective first defense mechanisms against invading pathogens. Many receptors involved in the innate immune responses are pattern-recognition receptors that recognize molecular patterns uniquely present in a broad range of microorganisms. Binding of such molecular patterns (term as ‘pathogen-associated molecular patterns’ or PAMPs) to innate immune receptors results in the activation of various innate immune responses including inflammatory cytokine production, antigen-presenting cell activation and immune cell proliferation. In the Immune Cell Biology lab, we are interested in understanding molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of the innate immune receptors. Especially, we are trying to discover novel regulatory mechanisms for the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways and the inflammasome pathways using various molecular, biochemical and cell biological methods.

II. Discovery of Novel Immune Modulators
Most chronic diseases of the modern society including diabetes, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease are accompanied with chronic inflammation which is often linked with overactivation or misregulation of the innate immune receptor pathways. Using the knowledge gained from the cell biological study of innate immune receptor pathways, we are interested in developing novel immune modulators for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. We focus on the identification and validation of novel drug targets that function as key regulators of the innate immune receptor pathways. We are also trying to find novel Toll-like receptor agonists and antagonists in the format of both small chemical entities and biologics.
 

Selected Publications 

1. Park B, Brinkmann MM, Spooner E, Lee CC, Kim YM, Ploegh H (2008) Proteolytic cleavage in an endolysosomal compartment is required for activation of Toll-like receptor 9 Nature Immunology 9, 1407-14
2. Kim YM*, Brinkmann MM, Ploegh HL (2008) UNC93B delivers intracellular nucleotide-sensing TLRs to endolysosomes Nature 452, 234-8 (*co-corresponding author)
3. Kim YM, Brinkmann MM, Ploegh HL (2007) TLRs bent into shape Nat Immunol 8, 675-7 Brinkmann MM, Spooner E, Hoebe K, Beutler B, Ploegh HL, Kim YM* (2007)
4. The interaction between the ER membrane protein UNC93B and TLRs 3,7, and 9 is crucial for TLR signaling J Cell Biol 177, 265-75 (*co-corresponding author) Patterson HCK, Kraus M, Kim YM, Ploegh H, Rajewsky K (2006)
5. The B cell receptor promotes B cell activation and proliferation through a none-ITAM tyrosine in the Ig cytosolic tail. Immunity 25, 55-65 Kim YM, Pan JY, Korbel GA, Peperzak V, Boes M, Ploegh HL (2006)
6. Monovalent ligation of the B cell receptor induces receptor activation but fails to promote antigen presentation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103, 3327-32

Division of Molecular & Life Sciences| POSTECH