Research
Hyunjoon (Joon) Kong’s lab is developing advanced biomaterials that can be used to address problems in biology and medicine. The Kong lab conducts research that aims to better understand the roles of an extracellular matrix and bio-transports on cancer progression. Kong has developed cell-laden hydrogels that allow one to examine the individual and combine the roles of various extracellular microenvironmental factors on invasive phenotypes of cancer cells. In particular, the Kong lab has demonstrated that the softness of the gel plays a significant role in triggering invasive activities of liver cancer cells and further promoting neovascularization in a transplanted site. Kong is working with Dr. Lawrence Schook to study the role of the gel matrix in making xenografts of liver cancer.
Education
- Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2001
Campus Affiliations
- Robert W. Schaefer Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Professor, Bioengineering
- Professor, Micro and Nanotechnology Lab
- Professor, Biomedical and Translational Sciences
- Professor, Pathobiology
- Professor, Neuroscience Program
- Professor, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Professor, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
Select Honors and Recognitions
- IAMBE Fellow, 2023
- NSF CAREER Award, 2009
- AIMBE Fellow, 2017
- KIChE President Young Investigator Award, 2011