Jongsook Kim Kemper’s lab is studying transcriptional and epigenetic control of metabolism, using multidisciplinary approaches, ranging from cell-free to animal and human studies and utilizing cutting-edge genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic approaches. The major focus of her research is to understand the role of the bile acid signal-sensing nuclear receptors, FXR and SHP, and epigenomic modulators, like SIRT1, JMJD3, and microRNAs, in maintaining metabolic homeostasis. The Kemper lab studies how these factors are dysregulated in diabetes and obesity, including fatty liver disease, which can progress to terminal liver diseases like cirrhosis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. She hopes that her research will reveal more effective and specific targets for the treatment and/or prevention of metabolic diseases and cancer.
Kemper received her BS degree from Seoul National University, Korea, and a PhD degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She received postdoctoral training at UIUC and Stanford University in the field of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and is presently a Professor in the Department of Molecular Integrative Physiology.