News

08/05/2026

New Publication Alert 

We are excited to announce the publication of our latest research article, "Alternate-day Fasting Enhances Leptin Sensitivity via JMJD3-Dependent Epigenetic Regulation of the Leptin Receptor in the Hypothalamus" in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. The study was led by Busayo and Smita (co-first authors), Min, Baochan, Jisu, and collaborators Dr. Roberts and Dr. Ha. 

Our study demonstrates that alternate-day fasting improves the brain's response to leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite and body weight. We identified JMJD3, an epigenetic regulator, as a key mediator of this process, providing new mechanistic insights into the epigenetic regulation of brain leptin signaling. 

Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2026.110476

07/30/2026

Nutrition 2026 Conference 

We participated in our favorite conference, Nutrition 2026 organized by American Society for Nutrition, in National Harbor, Maryland. Smita presented her research on the effects of maternal obesity on hypothalamic GLP-1 receptor expression in offspring, highlighting how maternal nutrition may influence metabolic regulation during development.  

Great work, Smita!  

05/01/2026

Melissa successfully defended her thesis 

Congratulations to Melissa on successfully defending her master's thesis. Her research investigated the molecular mechanisms by which intermittent fasting improves hypothalamic leptin sensitivity, providing new insights into the central regulation of energy homeostasis by dietary interventions. 

We are proud of Melissa's hard work and dedication and wish her continued success in her future career as a registered dietitian! 

04/30/2026

American Physiology Summit 2026

Busayo participated in the American Physiology Summit 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he presented our lab's research on the role of VMH-JMJD3 in regulating hypothalamic leptin sensitivity. Great work, Busayo!  

03/30/2026

New Publication Alert

We are excited to share the publication of our latest article in The Journal of Nutrition. The article was authored by Smita (first author), Busayo, and Min. 

This paper explores how maternal nutrition during critical developmental periods shapes hypothalamic development and metabolic regulation in offspring. It summarizes how disruptions in hormonal signaling and epigenetic programming can increase the lifelong risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. 

Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101515

10/25/2025

Arizona Physiological Society Meeting

The Kim lab was well represented at the Arizona Physiological Society Meeting in Phoenix, where Busayo presented his research. His presentation was recognized with the Third-Best Oral Presentation Award. Congratulations to Busayo on this outstanding achievement! 

And be sure to check out Busayo's amazing traditional Nigerian attire! 

09/30/2025

New Publication Alert 

We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest review article in Frontiers in Endocrinology. The article was authored by Busayo (first author), Smita, and Min. 

The review summarizes how adverse environmental factors can induce epigenetic modifications in neuropeptides and metabolic hormone receptors that regulate energy homeostasis, contributing to obesity and metabolic disorders. 

Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2025.1645474

07/16/2025

Alumni News: Baochan's College Life at Harvard  

We are excited to share an update on our former lab member, Baochan Fan, who has just completed her first year at Harvard University, where she is majoring in Neuroscience on the Neurobiology track as a premedical student.

Baochan has continued to pursue her passion for research, joining the Khurana/Korecka Lab at Mass General Brigham. There, she is studying the cellular interactions between peripheral immune cells and neurons in vitro within the context of Parkinson’s Disease, as well as exploring the effects of gut metabolites on neuroimmune cocultures.

Outside the lab and classroom, Baochan enjoys trying out a variety of activities, from dancing, biking, to badminton, and enjoying the amazing food, coffee, and boba in Boston with friends.

We are so proud of Baochan’s continued growth as a young scientist and look forward to seeing her contributions to the field of neuroscience and medicine in the years to come!

06/30/2025

Recognition and Presentations by the Kim Lab at Nutrition 2025

We are proud to share recent honors and presentations from Nutrition 2025, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition:

• Min received the Bio-Serv Award in Experimental Animal Nutrition, recognizing early-career investigators for outstanding research contributions. 

• Busayo received the George Bray Obesity Research Student Award (one of only two awarded nationwide) for his abstract on hypothalamic JMJD3 and leptin signaling. He was also a winner in the Emerging Leaders in Nutrition Science Poster Competition (Precision Nutrition/Nutrient-Gene Interaction category). 

• Smita and Jisu presented posters on their exciting research:  

- Smita on the effects of intermittent fasting on leptin signaling in obesity. 

- Jisu on the impact of dietary iron and copper homeostasis on cholesterol metabolism. 

Great work, team! 

10/31/2024

Halloween Pumpkin Carving Fun 

The labs in 850 PBC got into the Halloween spirit with a creative pumpkin carving session! Check out the Kim lab's masterpiece featuring a "pumpkin brain" 🧠 and a little mouse living inside 🐁

09/25/2024

Welcome to the lab, Melissa and Joshua! 

We're happy to welcome our new master's students, Melissa Buder and Joshua Altmann! Both have a BS in Dietetics from Arizona State University, and they will be conducting research on the effects of diets on brain inflammation and lipotoxicity. We're excited to have them join our team! 

07/05/2024

Busayo's research presentations at the Nutrition 2024

At the Nutrition 2024 conference in Chicago, IL, Busayo presented his research in two sessions: Nutrient-Gene Interactions/Precision Nutrition (Poster Theater Flash Session) and Experimental Animal Nutrition GEM Forum. We also enjoyed the nice weather in Chicago, a welcome escape from Arizona's heat! Great job, Busayo!

06/30/2024

Baochan earned top awards in Science Fairs

Congratulations to Baochan for her impressive achievements with her research this summer.

· Arizona Science and Engineering Fair (Phoenix, AZ): 1st place in Cellular & Molecular Biology, Best in Fair Award, Society for In Vitro Biology Special Award, Regeneron Biomedical Special Award

· International Science and Engineering Fair (Los Angeles, CA): 4th place grand award in Biomedical and Health Sciences, China Association for Science and Technology Special Award

Well done, Baochan!