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Bum-Yong Kang PhD

  • Department of Pediatrics
    Assistant Professor
Head shot of Bum-Yong Kang

Overview

Bum-Yong Kang, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Principle Investigator (PI) at Emory Universitys Department of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. In 2010, he was first awarded research funding as an independent PI from the Childrens Center for Endothelial Biology. In January 2013, Dr. Kang received the National Scientist Development Grant from the American Heart Association, which is currently ongoing.

For more than 10 years, Dr. Kang has extensively trained in a number of academic research areas, including molecular population genetics, functional genomics using microarray and proteomic analysis, and microRNA analysis. Through two different institutional postdoctoral trainings, Dr. Kang became an expert data analyst on molecular functional genomics employing bioinformatic techniques. One major research area is molecular population genetics in which Dr. Kang trained and received his Ph.D. degree in 2002 from Seoul National University, South Korea. Another research area is functional genomics using microarray and proteomics as postdoctoral fellowship trainings in the Department of Biology at Dalhousie University, Canada from 2004-2005 and in the Department of Medicine at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), U.S.A. from 2006-2009 until he was recruited to Emory University in 2009. Since 2009, Dr. Kang has intensively investigated novel approach microRNA analysis in pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH), leading not only to successful intra-institutional collaboration but also to research funding to elucidate the role of microRNA of human diseases.

Currently, Dr. Kangs research career focuses on the examination of the mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension with sickle cell disease. Early in his research career and while still a postdoctoral fellow in UAMS he made several sentinel findings of the role of LOX-1 in hypertension and atherosclerosis. After moving to Emory in 2009, his research is extended from heart to lungs, and then he became interested in the ET-1 signaling pathway and its role in PH. Most recently, he has extended his novel work on pulmonary vascular biology to the field of hypoxia-induced PH and sickle cell disease with PH (SCD-PH). His work employs novel animal models of human pulmonary vascular disease to study the role of PPAR in the development of PH. His most recent research career focuses on exploring how PPAR activation regulates microRNAs that modulate hypoxia-induced ET-1 signaling in the pathogenesis of PH.

Dr. Kangs long-term research goal is to create his own model in the pathogenesis of SCD-PH; how does pulmonary vascular remodeling generate in the pulmonary vasculature? To elucidate this question, this model will use integratedOMICS data: functional genomics, proteomics, microRNAs, and metabolomics analysis, lead not only to identifying innovative approaches to the treatment of pulmonary vascular disease, but also to clarifying mechanisms by which PPAR can favorably modulate the expression of proliferative mediators in SCD-PH.

Academic Appointment

  • Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Principle Investigator, Emory University

Education

Degrees

  • PhD from Seoul National University

Research

Publications

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