During my PhD, I focused on adapting cutting-edge biotechnology to control aquatic animal disease by studying genetically modified fish rhabdoviruses as vaccines and delivery vehicles for various molecules such as antigen, microRNAs and CRISPR/Cas9.
In my later postdoc research, I led a research project on the application of cartilaginous fish single domain antibodies for diagnosis and immunotherapy, funded by the Korean national research council.
Currently, at CIGENE, I’m working to uncover the evolutionary and functional impact of genomic structural variants in Atlantic salmon using techniques such as stable cell lines, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, qPCR and RNA-seq, both in vitro and in vivo.
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Publications
1. Kwak, J. S. & Kim, K. H. Effect of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of either IRF-3 or IRF-5 gene in Epithelioma papulosum cyprini cells on type I interferon response and NF-κB activity. Fish Shellfish Immun 132, 108463 (2023).
2.Lee, E. G., Kwak, J. S. & Kim, K. H. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated generation of auxotrophic Edwardsiella piscicida mutants and immunization in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Fish Shellfish Immun 122, 98–105 (2022).
3.Ryu, S. J., Kwak, J. S. & Kim, K. H. Effect of NV gene deletion in the genome of hirame rhabdovirus (HIRRV) on viral replication and the type I interferon response of the host cell. Arch Virol 167, 77–84 (2022).
4.Kwak, J. S., Kim, M. S. & Kim, K. H. Harnessing snakehead rhabdovirus (SHRV) for gene editing by installment of CRISPR/Cas9 in viral genome. Virus Res 305, 198578 (2021).
5.Kwak, J. S. & Kim, K. H. Effect of miR-155 on type I interferon response in Epithelioma papulosum cyprini cells. Fish Shellfish Immun 111, 1–5 (2021).
6.Kwak, J. S. & Kim, K. H. Generation of Self-Inhibitory Recombinant Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) by Insertion of Viral P Gene-Targeting Artificial MicroRNA into Viral Genome and Effect of Dicer Gene Knockout on the Recombinant VHSV Replication. Mar Biotechnol 23, 546–559 (2021).
7.Kwak, J. S. & Kim, K. H. Enhancing immunogenicity of a reporter protein by fusion to glycoprotein and nucleoprotein of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) particles. Fish Shellfish Immun 105, 35–40 (2020).
8.Kwak, J. S., Kim, M. S. & Kim, K. H. Generation of microRNA-30e-producing recombinant viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) and its effect on in vitro immune responses. Fish Shellfish Immun 94, 381–388 (2019).
9.Kwak, J. S., Kim, M. S. & Kim, K. H. Generation of a recombinant viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) expressing olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) interferon-γ and its effects on type I interferon response and virulence. Fish Shellfish Immun 68, 530–535 (2017).
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Projects & research
Projects
The objective of this project is to reveal which and how genomic structural variants have driven adaptive evolution with the functional advantage in domesticated Atlantic salmon.
Areas of research