Keenan Research Centre
Scientist Profiles
Young-In J. Kim
MD, University of Toronto
Affiliations
Scientist in the Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital
Associate Professor, Medicine/Gastroenterology, University of Toronto
Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto
Member, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto
Clinical Specialty
Gastroenterology, clinical nutrition
Research Interests
Nutrition/vitamins/folate and colorectal and breast cancers, cancer prevention, pharmacogenetics of cancer therapy, nutrigenomics, epigenetics of cancer, development and validation of surrogate endpoint biomarkers of cancer
Research Activities
My research focuses on several aspects of nutrition and cancer at the molecular, cellular and translational levels, including prevention, early detection and screening, development and validation of surrogate endpoint biomarkers, molecular genetics and epigenetics, pharmacogenetics, and nutrigenomics using animal models, cell culture systems and human subjects. My research program represents the integration of epigenetic, molecular and cellular biology, molecular epidemiology, cancer biomarkers, and nutritional biochemistry in animal and in vitro models.
Prevention: My laboratory has been investigating the effects of nutritional/dietary factors and potential chemopreventive agents on the development of colon, breast, and pancreatic cancers using animal models and human subjects. Using animal models and cell culture systems, my laboratory has also been investigating fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms by which nutritional and dietary factors can modify the risk of cancer. A comprehensive mechanistic understanding of the preventive effect of nutritional and dietary factors is crucial in designing and implementing rational, effective and safe strategies for cancer prevention using these factors. Another area of cancer prevention research in my laboratory is the development of appropriate animal models of nutrition-mediated colon cancer by genetic engineering.
Early detection and screening: My group has been developing and validating potential cellular, molecular, epigenetic and biochemical markers of colon cancer that can be used as an endpoint of human prevention trials and as a predictor of colon cancer risk in humans. Eventually these potential biomarkers can be utilized as a screening tool to identify individuals at high risk of developing colon cancer for early diagnosis and aggressive preventive strategies. My group has also been evaluating special diagnostic technologies for identifying individuals harboring premalignant changes in the colon and those at high risk of developing colon cancer.
Molecular genetics: My laboratory has been investigating how subtle genetic variants (i.e., single nucleotide polymorphism [SNPs]) in several key genes involved in the absorption, metabolism and excretion of nutrients and dietary factors modify colon cancer risk in animal and cell culture models. A comprehensive understanding of these molecular variants is essential in identifying individuals at risk of developing colon cancer for aggressive screening and preventive strategies. My group has also been examining how these molecular variants interact with nutrients and dietary factors in modifying colon cancer risk. The nutrient-gene interactions in the development and prevention of colon cancer is one of the most exciting and important emerging areas of colon cancer and nutrition research.
Treatment (pharmacogenetics): My research also focuses on identifying and characterizing molecular and cellular markers (genetic variants in nutritional metabolic pathways) that can predict the response of cancer cells to chemotherapy using state-of-the-art molecular biologic techniques in cell culture and animal models. This area of research is called "pharmacogenetics" and is important in providing safe and effective customized chemotherapy to patients with cancer by considering genetic variations in the metabolism of chemotherapeutic agents.
Nutrigenomics/nutrigenetics: My research also focuses on clarifying differential expression patterns of genes that are involved in nutrition-mediated cancer development and treatment as well as on identifying novel gene(s) that are mechanistically related to these processes using gene expression profiling.
Other Activities
- Member, College of Reviewers, Canada Research Chairs Program, 2002-present
- Member, Nutrition, Food and Health (NUT) Panel, Institute of Nutrition and Metabolism, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2005-present
- Member, the Chemo/Dietary Prevention Study Section (ZRG1 CDP 01), Center for Scientific Review, the National Institutes of Health, 2006-2010
- Member, Panel G2: Carcinogenesis, DNA Damage and DNA Repair, the National Cancer Institute of Canada, 2007-present
- Member, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Senior Scholarship Peer Review Advisory Committee, 2007-present
- Editorial board, Nutrition in Clinical Care, 1997-present
- Contributing editor, Nutrition Reviews, 1996-present
- Contributing editor, Gastrointestinal Oncology Section, Faculty of 1000 Medicine, 2007-present
Educational Activities
I have graduate school appointments with the Department of Nutritional Sciences and the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto. I currently supervise one PhD student and two M.Sc. students.
Contact
Phone: 416-864-5848 (clinic); 416-978-1183 (research)
Fax: 416-864-5994 (clinic); 416-978-8765 (research)
E-mail: youngin.kim@utoronto.ca
Website: www.utorontogi.ca/5-2.asp
Website: www.utoronto.ca/nutrisci/faculty/Kim/
