- 3441 Science and Engineering Complex
- Phone (205) 348-1729
- Fax (205) 348-7558
- Faculty Website
Dr. Yonghyun (John) Kim
Interim Department Head for Chemical and Biological Engineering, Associate Professor
Contact
- 3441 Science and Engineering Complex
- phone (205) 348-1729
- fax (205) 348-7558
- Faculty Website
Research Areas
Education
- Ph.D., Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2008
- B.S., Chemical Engineering, Lafayette College, 2002
- B.A., Biochemistry, Lafayette College, 2002
Dr. Yonghyun (John) Kim is the Interim Department Head of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Alabama (UA), having previously served as Associate Department Head (2018–2025). He earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and B.A. in Biochemistry from Lafayette College (2002), a Ph.D. from UMBC (2008), and completed post-doctoral training in oncology at the Samsung Biomedical Research Institute (2008–2011).
A 2022–2023 U.S. Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Kim has received numerous honors, including the 2024 James M. Van Lanen Distinguished Service Award from the ACS Division of Biochemical Technology, where he served as Chair (2023–2025). At UA, he was recently honored with the 2024 Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Education and Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor awards.
Dr. Kim’s commitment to student development is reflected in his leadership of the department’s study abroad program (since 2017), the GAANN fellowship program (2021–2025), and as co-director of an REU program (2019–2023). He currently directs an international research program in Portugal (since 2024).
With over 70 peer-reviewed publications, his research focuses on bioengineering models of cancer stem cells. His work is supported by the NSF, NIH, U.S. Department of Education, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. He previously held the Reichhold-Shumaker Assistant Professor endowment and was named Outstanding Faculty Member by AIChE and Omega Chi Epsilon.
Affiliated Areas
Chemical and Biological Engineering, Polymers and Soft Materials Research Center, Center for Convergent Bioscience & Medicine (CCBM)
Selected Publications
- Alexandra D. Avera and Yonghyun Kim (2025) Bioengineering Stem Cell-Derived Glioblastoma Organoids: A Comprehensive Review. Pharmaceuticals 18(12): 1830. PMID: 41471318.
- Alexandra D. Avera, Daniel J. Gibson, Macy L. Birge, Taylor N. Schnorbus, Isabella M. Concannon, and Yonghyun Kim (2025) Characterization of Native Extracellular Matrix of Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Multiforme Organoids. Tissue Eng Part A 31(17-18):1144-1155. PMID: 39969953.
- Spenser R. Brown, Margaret E. Radcliffe, Joseph T. Danner, Wilmer J. Andújar Cruz, Kimberly H. Lackey, Han-A Park, Steven T. Weinman, and Yonghyun Kim (2024) Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Modulation of Stem-like Phenotype in Breast Cancer Cells under Fluid Shear Stress. Biomolecules 14(7): 757. PMID: 39062471.
- Han-A Park, Spenser R Brown, Joseph Jansen, Tracie Dunn, Madison Scott, Nelli Mnatsakanyan, Elizabeth A. Jonas, Yonghyun Kim (2022) Fluid shear stress enhances proliferation of breast cancer cells via downregulation of the c-subunit of the F1FO ATP synthase. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 632:173-180. PMID: 36209586.
- Seungjo Park, Alexandra D Avera, Yonghyun Kim (2022) Biomanufacturing of glioblastoma organoids exhibiting hierarchical and spatially organized tumor microenvironment via transdifferentiation. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 119(11):3252-3274. PMID: 35869574.
Awards and Honors
- Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor, UA Honors College, The University of Alabama, 2016
- Fulbright Scholar Award, Fulbright Scholar Program, U.S. Department of State, 2022 – 2023
- 2024 Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Education, UA College of Engineering
- 2024 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor, University of Alabama
- 2024 James M. Van Lanen Distinguished Service Award, ACS BIOT
- 2023 Outstanding Faculty Research Award, UA Chemical and Biological Engineering
- 2020 Outstanding Faculty Member, UA Omega Chi Epsilon
- 2019 Outstanding Faculty Member, UA American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- 2017 Full Member, Sigma Xi
- 2017 Chenault Research Award, UA Honors College
- 2015 Reichhold-Shumaker Assistant Professor, University of Alabama
Dr. Kim's Impact
UA Faculty Members Selected for Fulbright Awards
Three University of Alabama faculty members were recently selected for Fulbright awards for educators.
Randall Outstanding Undergrad Research Awards Recognize Innovation
The Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award Program recognizes the best research activity conducted by undergraduate students at The University of Alabama.
Empowered to Serve: UA Senior Eager for Career in Public Health
Joline Hartheimer is under no illusions about her “privileged” upbringing in Northern New Jersey. She says service has helped shape her personal and career goals.