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Principal Investigator

Dr. Jason Kim is an internationally renowned scientist in the field of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Type 2 Diabetes Research

Type 2 diabetes affects more than 34 million Americans (roughly 10% of the US population) and 420 million people worldwide. Another 88 million Americans have pre-diabetes. For almost three decades, Dr. Kim’s NIH-funded research has focused on insulin resistance, a major characteristic and a requisite early event in developing type 2 diabetes. Using sophisticated metabolic procedures and molecular approaches in transgenic mouse models, his research program is currently investigating the molecular link between inflammation, cytokines, and insulin resistance. By collaborating with leading academic and industry investigators, Dr. Kim’s translational research further explores potential therapeutic targets for treating type 2 diabetes. Learn More

Obesity Research

Obesity is a major cause of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Our body weight is based on a simple law of thermodynamics (energy in – energy out) but regulated by a complex network of signaling pathways involving the neuroendocrine system. As a leading expert in mouse metabolism, Dr. Kim has previously shown that inflammation develops in multiple organs in obesity, and his current research focuses on understanding how cytokine signaling and gut microbiome modulate energy balance. Losing 10% of body weight is known to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, and his research further studies how weight loss improves insulin resistance. Learn More

Diabetic Heart Disease Research

Heart disease is the most common cause of death in diabetes, and diabetic subjects are 2~4 times more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases. As a Chair of the Grant Review Committee for the American Heart Association, Dr. Kim has previously shown that the heart develops inflammation and insulin resistance in early obesity. Using novel heart-selective conditional knockout mice and in vivo imaging system, his current research investigates the effects of nutrient stress on myocardial inflammation and metabolism and cardiac function. Learn More

Diabetes Virtual Camp Established by the Kim Family During the Pandemic

 Virtual Diabetes Camp Learn More