Sungsu Kim

Sungsu Kim’s research goal is to understand the pathogenic mechanisms underlying metabolic complications of the nervous system. In particular, he is interested in neuropathies in human metabolic disorder such as diabetes and Alzheimer disease (AD). In addition, Sungsu’s background is in molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, and Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) and mouse genetics, with expertise in high-throughput image/data acquisition and computational analysis. As Ph.D. graduate student under the mentorship of Dr. Aaron DiAntonio, Sungsu developed image-based membrane trafficking assays, and applying Drosophila genetics tools, successfully characterized functions of the novel type 1 diabetes and autoimmune disease susceptibility gene ema/CLEC16A in the endosomal trafficking and autophagy. To study diabetic peripheral neuropathy, he has explored potential metabolic interaction between Schwann cells and neurons/axons during his postdoctoral training in Dr. Milbrandt’s lab.