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Kwon Park

Park, Kwon

Primary Appointment

Associate Professor, Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology

Education

  • PhD, Molecular and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital
  • Postdoc, Genetics and Pediatrics, Stanford University

Contact Information

1340 Jefferson Park Avenue
PINN 7046
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Telephone: 4349821947
Fax: 434-982-1071
Email: kp5an@virginia.edu
Website: https://med.virginia.edu/bims/faculty/?facbio=1&id=25920

Research Disciplines

Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Development, Stem Cells & Regeneration, Epigenetics, Experimental Pathology, Genetics, Metabolism, Molecular Biology, Translational Science

Research Interests

Mechanisms of tissue/organ homeostasis and tumorigeensis

Research Description

The overarching goal of our research is functional understanding of molecular alterations in lung cancer. To that end, we determine impacts of genomic and transcriptomic alterations on tumor development and progression using genetically engineered precancerous cells and mouse models. Our current efforts are focused on the following aspects of tumorigenesis.

1. To understand transcriptional program altered by frequent mutations in transcription factors and chromatin modifiers, we integrate functional genetics with omics approach.

2. To identify and delineate signaling pathways for tumor progression and homeostasis, we study roles of developmental and growth factor signaling pathways that are deregulated during tumor development.

3. To determine role of metabolic plasticity in mutant cells during tumor progression, we aim to identify and characterize altered metabolic pathways in tumorigenesis and their relationships to oncogenic drivers.

4. To determine preneoplasia-immune microenvironment during tumor development, we aim to determine changes in immune regulatory proteins, which promotes evasion of immune surveillance by cytotoxic T cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages.

Selected Publications