Min-Ho Kim Lab:Research

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Research Interests The major research interests in our laboratory are to (1) understand biological mechanism by which immune cell trafficking contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, (2) apply micro/nano-engineered biomaterials to precisely tune inflammatory environmental cues, and (3) thereby develop clinically feasible therapeutics to promote the resolution of non-healing chronic wounds. Our laboratory utilizes and combines interdisciplinary approaches of immuno-biology, stem cell biology, cellular and tissue engineering, and nano-bioengineering.

Current Research Projects 1. Targeted magnetic nanoparticle thermotherapy for the resolution of biofilm infection in diabetic wounds Clinical data from human diabetic wounds has shown that biofilm formation is correlated with the onset of wound chronicity, which can lead to prolonged hospitalization and amputation. Current approaches for the treatment of wound infections include the application of topical or systemic antibiotic treatments along with wound debridement, drainage, and surgical intervention. However, a critical challenge in treatment of biofilm infection is that they are often antibiotic resistant and readily evade innate immune attack. There is an urgent need for a new strategy that can successfully target biofilms in the management of non-healing chronic wounds. To address this challenge, our lab is developing a non-invasive, antimicrobial, magnetic thermotherapy platform in which a high-frequency alternating magnetic field (AMF) is used to rapidly heat magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) that are bound to a bacterial pathogen. In our recent work (Kim et al. Annals Biomed Eng., 2013), we demonstrated that targeted MNP hyperthermia can be used as a non-invasive antimicrobial therapeutic for management and accelerated healing of wound infection. Our lab is currently engaged in a research to simultaneously target multiple Gram + and Gram - bacterial species. The long-term goal of this study is to provide preclinical validation of magnetic nanoparticle thermotherapy that cooperates with the innate immune response, works synergistically with conventional antibiotic treatment, is effective in the treatment of polymicrobial biofilm infection with both Gram + and Gram - bacterial species, and ensures safety of the technology. 2. Targeting macrophage phenotype for wound healing and tissue regeneration 3. Mesenchymal stem cell-encapsulated microspheres for tissue engineering