NIH-funded research at CIU to focus on treatment of diabetes and cancer

Columbia International University’s new Biomedical Sciences program is the recipient of an important research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Over the next three years, CIU Biomedical Sciences Professor Dr. Jeong-Ho Kim, who was awarded the grant, and his students will be researching ways to help doctors treat patients with metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity and cancer.

The $328,000 grant will fund research that promises to provide significant insights into the understanding of cellular biological processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. 

NIH grant applications undergo rigorous peer review and evaluation by scientific experts, ensuring that only the most innovative research projects receive funding. 

CIU is the only private, Christian university in the Southeast to receive an NIH AREA grant in 2024. AREA (Academic Research Enhancement Award) grants are awarded to enhance the biomedical research environment of schools by providing equipment and outstanding research opportunities for undergraduate students. Kim’s research has been supported by the NIH for many years.

“The results will provide significant insights into the processes involved in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis in humans, especially under pathological conditions, such as hyperglycemia in diabetics and the elevated rate of glycolysis observed in many solid tumors,” Kim said. 

Kim oversees a summer research program for undergraduate students in Biomedical Sciences, which provides intensive research training in Cell and Molecular Biology. Participants will have opportunities to attend national and international conferences, where they not only present their results but also have an opportunity to network and meet potential future mentors. All participants are supported by the NIH grant. 

Kim began teaching at CIU this fall, joining a growing Biomedical Sciences program. He has also served as a professor in the Department of Biology and Chemistry at Liberty University (LU), as an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at The George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine and Health Science, and as an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM).  

“I am very grateful to continue my teaching and research journey at CIU, which actively promotes research as one of its missions,” Kim said.

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