Sungjin Ko

Summary

Dr. Ko is particularly interested in beneficial modulation of cell fate by using chemicals which regulate cellular programming of liver epithelial cells at the intersections of stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and cancer therapy. Dr. Ko's long-term research goals: (1) understanding the molecular mechanisms of liver regeneration and cell plasticity in animal models of human liver disease in order to identify therapeutic targets for patients as an alternative for liver transplantation; (2) delineating the role of cellular reprogramming in the molecular pathogenesis of liver cancers to identify drug candidates to prolong the lifespan for liver cancer patients, one of the major unmet needs in the clinic.