Sunghoon Kim

Dedicated interdisciplinary researcher specializing in polymer synthesis and molecular biotechnology, advancing knowledge through a PhD focused on designing, fabricating, and characterizing advanced polymeric materials for biomedical and environmental applications. Holds a Master's degree emphasizing gene cloning and expression using Escherichia coli, establishing a robust foundation in molecular biology, genetic engineering, and protein expression systems. Proficient in synthetic polymer chemistry, spectroscopic and chromatographic analysis, and molecular cloning methods, complemented by a strong publication record. Committed to enhancing the fundamental understanding of structure–property relationships in polymers while integrating biological and chemical approaches to drive innovative material development.

• Performed free-radical polymerization (bulk and solution) to synthesize vinyl-based polymers with controlled molecular weight and composition.
• Conducted step-growth polymerizations (e.g., polyHEMA, polyGMA) to study structure–property relationships in condensation polymers.
• Utilized ring-opening polymerization to prepare biodegradable and functional polylactide for advanced applications.
• Applied controlled/living radical polymerization methods (e.g., ATRP or RAFT ) for well-defined block and graft copolymers.
• Optimized reaction conditions (monomer/catalyst ratios, temperature, solvent) to tune polymer architecture and dispersity.

• Used size-exclusion chromatography ( SEC/GPC ) to determine molecular weight distribution and dispersity of synthesized polymers.
• Employed ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy to confirm polymer structure, composition, and end-group fidelity.
• Applied FTIR spectroscopy to monitor monomer conversion and identify functional groups in polymers.
• Performed DSC and TGA measurements to evaluate thermal transitions and thermal stability of polymer materials.
• Conducted rheological measurements to assess solution and melt behavior relevant to processing and performance.
• Used UV–Vis spectroscopy when needed to characterize conjugated or chromophore-containing polymers.
• Operated a fluorometer to quantify fluorescence signals from labeled polymers and polymer–biomolecule conjugates, enabling studies of interactions, aggregation, and environmental responsiveness.

• [1] Youngdae Yoon, Yerin Kang, Yooeun Chae, Sunghoon Kim, Youngshim Lee, Seung-Woo Jeong, Youn-Joo An. (2016). Arsenic bioavailability in soils before and after soil washing: the use of Escherichia coli whole-cell bioreporters. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 2353–2361 (2016)
• [2] Youngdae Yoon, Sunghoon Kim, Yooeun Chae, Seung-Woo Jeong, Youn-Joo An. (2016). Evaluation of bioavailable arsenic and remediation performance using a whole-cell bioreporter. Science of the Total Environment 547, 125-131 (2016)
• [3] Youngdae Yoon, Sunghoon Kim, Yooeun Chae, Shin Woong Kim, Yerin Kang, Gyeonghyeon An, Seung-Woo Jeong, Youn-Joo An. (2016). Simultaneous detection of bioavailable arsenic and cadmium in contaminated soils using dual-sensing bioreporters. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 100, 3713–3722 (2016)
• [4] Youngdae Yoon, Sunghoon Kim, Yooeun Chae, Yerin Kang, Youngshgim Lee, Seung-Woo Jeong, Youn-Joo An. (2016). Use of Tunable Whole-Cell Bioreporters to Assess Bioavailable Cadmium and Remediation Performance in Soils. PLoS ONE 11(5): e0154506
• [5] Sunghoon Kim, Youngdae Yoon. (2016). Assessing bioavailability and genotoxicity of heavy metals and metallic nanoparticles simultaneously using dual-sensing Escherichia coli whole-cell bioreporters. Appl Biol Chem 59, 661–668 (2016)
• [6] Sunghoon Kim, Yooeun Chae, Yerin Kang, Youn-Joo An,Youngdae Yoon. (2016). Assessing the toxicity and the dissolution rate of zinc oxide nanoparticles using a dual-color Escherichia coli whole-cell bioreporter. Chemosphere 163 (2016) 429e437
• [7] Yelin Kang, Bong-Gyu Kim, Sunghoon Kim, Youngshim Lee, Youngdae Yoon. (2017). Inhibitory potential of flavonoids on PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 binding with the phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 pleckstrin homology domain. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 27 (2017) 420–426
• [8] Yerin Kang, Woonwoo Lee, Sunghoon Kim, Geupil Jang, Youngdae Yoon. (2018) Enhancing the copper-sensing capability of Escherichia coli-based whole-cell bioreporters by genetic engineering. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 102, 1513–1521 (2018)
• [9] Jeonghun Lee, Karla E Cureño Hernandez, Sunghoon Kim, Margarita Herrera-Alonso. (2023) Solute Stabilization Effects of Nanoparticles Containing Boronic Acids in the Absence of Binding Pairs. Langmuir 2023, 39, 43, 15328–15337
• [10] Jeonghun Lee, Yao Tang, Karla E Cureño Hernandez, Sunghoon Kim, Rahmi Lee, Zachary Cartwright, Darrin J. Pochan, Margarita Herrera-Alonso. (2024) Ultrastable and Redispersible Zwitterionic Bottlebrush Micelles for Drug Delivery. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2024, 16, 41, 55118–55129
• [11] Karla E Cureño Hernandez, Jeonghun Lee, Sunghoon Kim, Zachary Cartwright, Margarita Herrera-Alonso. (2025) Boronic acid-mediated mucin/surface interactions of zwitterionic polymer brushes. Soft Matter, 2025,21, 3125-3136

• Poster presentation - Sunghoon Kim. (2015). Assessing the toxicity and the dissolution rate of zinc oxide nanoparticles using a dual-color Escherichia coli whole-cell bioreporter. The Korean Society for Integrative Biology. Jeju. Korea(south). 2016.06.16 - 2016.06.18
• Poster Presentation - Sunghoon Kim. (2022). Zwitterionic bottlebrush copolymers for effective mucosal transport. American Chemical Society. San Diego, USA, 2022. 02. 19 – 2022. 02. 24
• Poster Presentation - Sunghoon Kim. (2023). Zwitterionic unimolecular bottlebrushes for mucosal transport. American Physical Society. Las Vegas, USA, 2023. 03. 04 – 2023. 03. 10
• Oral Presentation - Sunghoon Kim. (2024). Zwitterionic bottlebrushes nanoparticles (BBNPs) for mucosal transport. American Chemical Society. Denver, USA, 2024. 08. 18 – 2024. 08. 22I hereby certify that above detailed statements are all true and correct. Signed by, Kim Sunghoon

• Konkuk university, Seoul, Korea, Teaching Assistant

08. 2015 – 12. 2015, Environmental Biochemistry, youngdae Yoon, 2015, Fall semester

03. 2016 – 12. 2016, Instrumental analysis, youngdae Yoon, 2016, Spring/Fall semester

• Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA, Graduate Teaching Assistant

01. 2024 – 05. 2024, Chemical and Biological Engineering Lab I, Parada, German, 2024, Spring semester

08. 2024 – 12. 2024, Chemical and Biological Engineering Lab II, Parada, German, 2024, Fall semester

01. 2025 – 05. 2025, Chemical and Biological Engineering Lab I, Parada, German, 2025, Spring semester