Home > Faculties > Baek, Kwang Hee

Baek, Kwang Hee
Professor, Molecular Genetics Lab.
Tel: 82-31-201-2437
E-mail: khbaek@khu.ac.kr
BS, Seoul National Univ., Microbiology (1977-1981)
Ph.D., University of Chicago, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1984-1988)
Post-doc, University of Chicago (1988-1989)
Professor, Kyung Hee Univ., Genetic Engineering (1987-present)
Associate Editor, Molecules and Cells (Springer) (1995-1996)
Editorial Board, Molecules and Cells (Springer) (1996-2003)
Co-CEO, PanGen Inc. (1999-2007)
Board of Advisors, Korea Student Aid Foundation (2009-2010)

Our research interests are i) to develop the unique protein expression system in mammalian cells, ii) to study on the control of gene expression by microRNAs, and iii) to develop cell-based assay system using CHO.

The recombinant pharmaceutical proteins produced from bacteria or lower eukaryotes are known to have many disadvantages over those from mammalian cells due to the different protein modification, protein misfolding, and low activity. These disadvantages draw much attentions to develop the protein expression system in mammalian cell. We developed unique expression vector employing MAR element and transcription terminator, which can promote stable and efficient protein expression. Now, we employ the expression vector to produce stable cell line for therapeutic antibodies and also to establish transient expression of protein in large scale.

Several microRNAs, which inhibit the expression of COX-2, VEGF, and/or VEGF receptor, were newly identified and characterized in recent research. Now, the target sites and the effects of miRNAs on inflammation and cell proliferation as well as gene expression are under investigation.

The GPCR(G-protein-coupled receptor) family represents the versatile group of cell surface receptors, which transduce signal from the ligand-receptor interaction into intracelluar responses and thus become major target for drug development. We developed several cell lines expressing GPCRs and are interested in screening drug candidates from natural medicinal plants using the developed cell lines.
1. Byun J, Yoon, J, Baek K. (2009) Ananlysis of two promoters that controls the expression o fthe GTP cyclohydrolase I gene in Drosophila melanogaster. Mol. Cell. 27:583-589.

2. Song M.-Y, Park S.-K, Kim C, Yoo T.H. Kim B, Kim M.-S, Kim Y.-S, Kwag W. J, Lee B.-K, Baek K. (2008) Characterization of a novel anti-human TNF-a murine monoclonal antibody with high binding affinity and neutralizing activity. Exp. Mol. Med. 40(1), 35-42.

3. Lee, S., Park, J., Lee, S., Park, J., Yu, S., Kim, H., Kim, D., Byun, T., Baek, K., Ahn, Y., and Yoon, J. (2008) Overproduction of recombinant human VEGF in Chinese hamster ovary cells. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 18(1), 183-187.

4. Lee, S., Leung, H-T., Kim, E., Jang, J., Lee, E., Baek, K., Pak, W., and Yoon, J. (2007) Effects of a mutation in the Drosophila porin gene encoding mitochondria voltage-dependent anion channel protein on phototransduction. Developmental Neurobiology 67, 1533-1545.

5. Kim, J. D., Yoon, Y., H.-Y. Hwang, Park, J. S., Yu, S., Lee, J., Baek, K., and Yoon, J. (2005) Efficient selection of stable Chinese hamster ovary cell (CHO) lines for expression of recombinant proteins by using human interferon b SAR element. Biotechnol. Prog. 21, 933-937.

6. Park, J., Yu, S., Yoon, J., and Baek, K. (2005) High-level expression of recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 in Chinese hamster ovary cells. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 15(6), 1397-1401.

7. Jin, J. S., Baek, S., Lee, H., Oh, M. Y., Koo, Y. E., Shim, M. S., Kwon, S. Y., Jeon, I., Park, S. Y., Baek, K., Yoo, M. A., Hatfield, D. L., and Lee, B. J. (2004) A DNA replication-ralated element downstream from the initiation site of Drosophila selenophosphate synthstase 2 gene is essential for its transcription. Nucleic Acids Research 32, 2482-2493.

8. Kim, J., Kim, J., Park, D., Kang, H., Yoon, J., Baek, K., and Yoon, Y. (2004) Improved recombinant gene expression in CHO cells using matrix attachment regions. J. Biotechnol. 107, 95-105.

9. Yoon, J. Leung, H., Lee, S., Geng, C., Kim, Y., Baek, K., and Pak, W. L. (2004) Specific molecular alterations in the norpA-encoded phospholipase C of Drosophila and their effects on electrophysiological response in vivo. J. Neurochem. 89, 998-1008.

10. Kim, E., Kim, D., Hwang, H-Y., Yoon, J., Yoon, Y., Baek, K. (2004) High-level expression of recombinant human interleukin-2 in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells using the expression system containing transcription terminator. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 14, 810-815.

11. Kim, D., Kim, J. D., Baek, K., Yoon, Y., and Yoon, J. (2003) Improved mammalian expression systems by manipulating transcriptional termination regions. Biotech. Prog. 19, 1620-1622.

12. Ryu, Y., Oh, Y., Yoon, J., Cho, W., and Baek, K. (2003) Molecular characterization of a gene encoding the Drosophila melanogaster phopholipase A2. BBA, 1628, 206-210.

13. Y. Hong, S. Park, C. Geng, K. Baek, J. D. Bowman, J. Yoon, and W. L. Pak. (2002) Single amino acid change in the fifth transmembrane segment of the TRP Ca+2 channel causes massive degeration of photoreceptors Journal of Biological Chemistry, 13 33884-33889.

14. J-W. Kim, V. Seghers, J-H Cho, Y. Kang, S. Kim, Y. Ryu, K. Baek, L. Aguilar-Bryan, Y-D. Lee, J, Bryan, and H. Suh-Kim. (2001) Transactivation of the mouse sulfonyurea receptor I gene by BETA2/NeuroD, Molecular Endocrinology 16(5), 1097-1107.

15. H. Park, C. Seong, J. Jang, J. Yoon, N. Cho and K. Baek, (2001) Promoter analysis of the Drosophila melanogaster gene encoding the pterin 4a-carbinolamine dehydrotase, Mol. Cells, 12 233-238

16. Oh, Y., Lee, S., Yoon, J., Han, K., and Baek, K. (2001) Promoter analysis of the Drosophila melanogaster gene encoding transcription elongation factor TFIIS. BBA 1518(3), 276-281.

17. US Patent (2008) US 7,422,874 B2, Expression vector for animal cell

18. US Patent (2007) US 7,259,010 B2, Expression vector for animal cell containing nuclear matrix attachment region of interferon beta