Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences
jk2938 [at] cornell.edu   CV
During his PhD, Jongmin identified the function of an uncharacterized gene (he and his advisor named it Kumgang), which was critical for silencing somatic genes during fly spermatogenesis (Kim, ..., Fuller, 2017). After joining a chromatin lab as a postdoc, he continued his work on gene silencing in mouse spermatogenesis, focusing on Polycomb group proteins in modulating chromatin architecture (Kim and Kingston, 2022; Kim, ..., Kingston, 2023). He is excited to investigate how these chromatin-modifying proteins block the misexpression of unwanted genes and safeguard male germ cell fate.
Jongmin is from Korea and came to the US for graduate school. He likes to swim and hike. His recent memorable hike was the "Subway" at Zion. He is looking forward to exploring many trails and gorges around Ithaca.

Research technician, Department of Biomedical Sciences
esb268 [at] cornell.edu  
I obtained my BS with a concentration in Animal Physiology at Cornell University. During my time at Cornell, I worked as a research assistant in the Hendry lab, investigating the distribution of apicomplexan parasites in lizards. After taking a few classes in development and reproduction, I decided that was what I wanted to pursue for my future, and now I am helping set up and organize the Kim lab. Here, I will assist in investigating the functions of the protein Kumgang and CBX7 in spermatogenesis. In the future, I plan to pursue a PhD in developmental biology. In my free time, I enjoy spending time outside, cooking, and caring for my geckos.

Research technician, Department of Biomedical Sciences
jz682 [at] cornell.edu  
I am Jingzhi Zhang, born in Lanzhou, China. Obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology at UC San Diego, I have joined the Breen lab and Fang lab, participated in the fascinating research in oxygen dynamics in muscle fibers of Cmah knock-out mice and the molecular mechanisms behind murine cardiomyopathy. Upon completion, I determined to continue pursuing a master’s degree at Cornell University in Duan Lab, focusing on gene regulation and epigenetics in bovine embryos, particularly H4K16ac and its regulator MOF, during zygotic genome activation. Also, I have investigated the transcriptomic impact of cryopreservation on bovine embryos. In Kim Lab, I will dive into the studies of polycomb complex CBX7 functions in mouse spermatogenesis while helping with the lab establishment. I am preparing to apply to the PhD programs in the fields of Genetics, Molecular and Developmental Biology.

Rotation student, Graduate Field of Genetics, Genomics, and Development (GGD)
I am a first-year PhD student at Cornell University in the GGD program, and I am rotating in the Kim lab, where I will be investigating the function of Kumgang in spermatogenesis. I obtained my BS in Biology and Mathematics at Northeastern University. During my undergrad, I worked as a research assistant in the Datta Lab at Harvard Medical School. My research focused on the role of Ms4a6d in the progression of Alzheimer's Disease in mice models. When not in the lab, I enjoy reading, playing the cello, and exploring Ithaca with my friends.