Dr. Jin-Woo Kim, associate professor of biological engineering, has taught at the University of Arkansas since 2001.
Kim earned his bachelor’s of science in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Seoul National University in Korea; his masters of science in Biology from the University of Wisconsin; a second bachelor’s of science in Microbiology from the University of Iowa; his doctorate in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from Texas A & M and two years Post Doc in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Iowa.
“My time at Texas A &M gave me a critical opportunity to learn to be a researcher, which is what I like to do,” Kim said.
For his complete, comprehensive education, he said, “I thank my parents because they believed in me, spoiled me by giving me the opportunity.” A challenging task, he said, because his parents “did not have tons of money.”
My education
Kim entered the world of science because “it had more options than other fields, science has a practical sense of application and basic.”
After earning a bachelor’s of science in Chemical Engineering, and a Masters in Biology, he realized the background of Microbiology “would be logical way to go forward for a career.” So Kim returned to college to earn a bachelor’s in Microbiology.
“I just liked biology, but people told me ‘you’re crazy for getting a second bachelor’s engineering degree,” he said. “That’s why I earned my PhD from Texas A & M, I finally found what I like to do.”
University of Arkansas Experience
Kim was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Iowa, but the University of Arkansas was where he officially began his first full-time teaching job.
Kim was attracted to the unique engineering community at the University of Arkansas because “the number of faculty was small,” he said. “When I got here, it was less established, less traditional and I enjoyed the cultural aspect to bioengineering.”
Dr. Lalit Verma, Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Head, began his work at the University of Arkansas in 2000, just a year before Dr. Kim joined.
“Dr. Verma transformed the vision and the leadership here. That’s what triggered my decision,” he said. “I wanted to be a doctor people would work with, and have lots of opportunity, but I didn’t have industry experience.”
In his extensive educational experience, Kim said that the level of student involvement is higher at the University of Arkansas than at other universities.
“We have more to offer than in the lab,” he said. “My research students that I attract are not just in teacher-student relationship, they’re more family-like relationships. They engage more (people?) than me in lecture.
“That doesn’t happen in larger schools.”
Even in universities of roughly the same size, such as the University of Iowa, Kim had a different faculty-student interaction.
Role Model
Among the people that inspired Kim the most was a Graduate Advisor from the University of Wisconsin. “Without them, I couldn’t do what I like now,” he said.
When Kim began as a research-specific instructor at the University of Arkansas, he paired with another faculty member, for research purposes. Russell Deaton, a computer science professor, has worked with Kim on DNA Computing Nanotechnology for the past 10 years.
“I don’t think what I am without him,” Kim said. “He is my mentor, my friend, as well as colleague.”
An instructor at UAMS medical school, Vladimir Zharov, also changed Kim’s educational path.
“I met him in a meeting when we were working together. He introduced me to laser-based diagnosis and treatment,” he said. Kim and Zharov jointly published two nature papers last year.
“Research is an exciting field and we fit together in what we’re doing,” Kim said. “We’re productive. We make a good team because we have complimenting techniques- I run experiments, he handles the theoretical and modeling side, providing each other with information.
“Personally, I admire him. I’m happy to know him,” he said.
Current research
Dr. Kim’s research interests are in BioNanotechnology. “Merging bio-technology and nano-technology is crucial,” he said. “We’re building a structure from small model, using surf assembly to enable it for a specific function.”
He works with bio- and nonbio-interfacing, hybrid material, which includes DNA computing and DNA based technology, or pictures of DNA.
“When working with DNA technology and nanotechnology that merge, it gives control,” which is the number, location, orientation, direction and dimension (1D, 2D, 3D) of his data. “This allows me to make what I like to make with Deaton. We’ve had quite a bit of progress and a paper is to come” about the defined DNA particle.
Kim is actively involved with IEEE and has chaired conferences in biology and medicine. For the IEEE International Conference on Nano-Molecular Medicine and Engineering, “I was in that division last year as program chair and will serve as General Co-Chair for the conference this year,” he said.
In Kim’s research, he uses the techniques of controlling electrical properties and biomedical research from other fields, such as physics, electrical engineering and versatile platform, which provide many applications.
The researchers use instruments that increase the temperature of “bad cells” to produce a photo-thermal reaction. This is similar to melanoma treatment, where the patient’s skin is cauterized- destroyed with a hot instrument, an electrical current, or a caustic substance, a process commonly thought of “burning, freezing or scraping” skin off, but Kim says his technology is much improved and a lot less invasive.
Through Near-Infrared Technology, “We can change the intensity of the Infrared rays for a direct response to shape and size of the structure, controlling optical property,” he said. “Our biotissue is near transparent. That property is used for medical diagnosis.”
When shooting with infrared rays, “Our tissue cells don’t register it and it doesn’t damage normal cells. Only the bad cells show up,” he said. “This non-invasive imaging is particle interfacing, a more efficient way to detect and treat tumors. From this, many, many good things will happen.”
When he’s not in the lab or classroom, Kim uses his time hike, go to the lake or the park.
For more information about his research, visit his website for links to his research publications.
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