Resume:

2008             POSTECH         PhD

2008-2014    University of CaliforniaSan Francisco     Postdoctoral Fellow

2014-2015    University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoAssociate specialist

2015-2020     University of Ottawa Assistant Professor

2020-             HIT Center for Life Sciences, HIT     Principal Investigator

Research Interest：

Dr. Kim’s major research interests are understanding how genes and neural circuits control complex social behaviours. He and his team use tiny fruit fly, Drsophila melanogaster to answer this question. One of the behaviours what Dr. Kim and his team dissected so far is ‘interval timing’. Interval timing is the ability of animal to calculate time intervals from seconds to hours and it enables us to predict future and make decisions. Dr. Kim uses the powerful genetic tools to dissect complex behaviours in molecular level. His team can manipulate specific set of genes within certain population of neurons using these genetic tools only available in fruit fly. He is also interested in establishing human neuronal disease model using fly system such as ALS/FTD. Finally, he will extend his interest in complex social behaviours using eusocial insects such as honey bee by manipulating their neural circuits using cutting edge genetic tools such as CRISPR/Cas9. Please visit below website for details. https://heterosis.wixsite.com/kimlab2/

Representative Publications:

1.Kyle Wong , Seung Gee Lee , Prof. Changku Kang , Baraa Saad , Al-Hassan Abbas , Brian Trinh , Mr. Ashvent Malik , Mahdi Zeghal , Anne-Christine Auge , Md Ehteshamul Islam , Tiffany Stern , Thomas Sherratt , Prof. Yuh-Nung Jan , Dr. Lily Jan & Kim, W. J.* (2019) Multisensory inputs control the regulation of time investment for mating by sexual experience. Nature Communications (in revision)

2.Yun, S. J., Kim, H., Jung, S. H., Kim, J. H., Ryu, J. E., Singh, N. J., ... Jang, S. K. & Kim, W. J.* (2018). The mechanistic insight of a specific interaction between 15d-Prostaglandin-J2 and eIF4A suggests an evolutionary conserved role across species. Biology Open, 7(11), bio035402.

3.Yang, J., Kim, K. S., Iyirhiaro, G. O., Marcogliese, P. C., Callaghan, S. M., Qu, D., ... & Park, D. S. (2019). DJ-1 modulates the unfolded protein response and cell death via upregulation of ATF4 following ER stress. Cell death & disease, 10(2), 135.

4.Kim, W. J., Jan, L.Y., & Jan, Y.N. (2013). A PDF/NPF neuropeptide signaling circuitry of male Drosophila melanogaster controls rival-induced prolonged mating. Neuron, 80(5), 1190-1205.

5.Kim, W. J., Jan, L.Y., & Jan, Y.N. (2012). Contribution of visual and circadian neural circuits to memory for prolonged mating induced by rivals. Nature neuroscience. 15(6), 876-83.

*corresponding author