Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute

Insook Kim , PhD

Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Phone: (501) 364-4592

Research Overview

Dr. Kim is a research assistant professor in Department of Pediatrics. Her ongoing research interests include: (1) understanding the mechanism of developing carotid body (CB) maturation, (2) blood oxygen sensing mechanism, and (3) the effects of altered oxygen exposures (chronic hypoxia, chronic hyperoxia, and chronic intermittent hypoxia) on CB chemoreceptor function. Dr. Kim was recently funded with two NIH R01s to study the mechanism of developing CB oxygen sensing maturation and the mechanism of perinatal-hyperoxic suppression of chemoreceptor function. Dr. Kim has also investigated the effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia, which mimics obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), on the maturation of CB chemoreceptor function (funded by ACHRI/CUMG). The ultimate clinical impact of work is to find the way to treat or prevent number of potentially life threatening disorders such as asthma, bronchopulmonary dysphasia, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Key Publications

Kim I, Watson KJ, Baquero AF, Burks CA, Liu L, Gilbertson TA (2007). Expression of Aquaporin Water Channels in Rat Taste Buds. Chem Senses. 32:411-421.

Kim I, Kim JH, Carroll JL (2006). Postnatal changes in gene expression of subfamilies of TASK K+ channels in rat carotid body. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2006;580:43-7.

Kim I, Donnelly DF, Carroll JL (2006). Modulation of gene expression in subfamilies of TASK K+ channels by chronic hyperoxia exposure in rat carotid body. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2006;580:37-41.

Wasicko MJ, Breitwieser GE, Kim I, Carroll JL (2006). Postnatal development of carotid body glomus cell response to hypoxia. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2006 Feb 8;154:356-71.

Carroll JL, Kim I (2005). Postnatal development of carotid body glomus cell O2 sensitivity. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2005 Nov 15;149(1-3):201-15. Review.

Donnelly DF, Kim I, Carle C, Carroll JL (2005). Perinatal hyperoxia for 14 days increases nerve conduction time and the acute unitary response to hypoxia of rat carotid body chemoreceptors. J Appl Physiol. 2005 Jul;99(1):114-9.

Kim I, Boyle KM, Carroll JL (2005). Postnatal development of E-4031 sensitive potassium current in rat carotid chemoreceptor cells. J. Applied Physiol. 98(4):1469-1477.

Research Support

NIH, R01 (as Co-I), “Postnatal resetting of chemoreceptor sensitivity”, Jan 2008- Dec 2011, $1,528,639

NIH, R01 (as Co-I) “Mechanism of perinatal-hyperoxic suppression of chemoreceptor function”, Jul 2007 – Jun 2012, $862,500

ACHRI CUMG (as PI), "Modulation of CB O2 sensing by chronic intermittent hypoxia exposure in rat carotid body chemoreceptor cells", July 2007 – June 2009, $39,970