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Bo Kyung Koo

Seoul National University · Medicine

About the Lab

Professor Bo Kyung Koo's research lab focuses on metabolic and liver diseases, with a strong emphasis on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and cardiovascular complications. The lab investigates genetic determinants, biomarkers such as GDF15 and KCNJ11 polymorphisms, and metabolic risk factors—including insulin resistance and muscle strength—that influence disease progression and fibrosis. Their work bridges clinical epidemiology and molecular mechanisms, aiming to identify early diagnostic markers and improve preventive strategies for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases in the Korean population.

NAFLDtype 2 diabetesfibrosis biomarkersgenetic polymorphismscardiometabolic risk

Research Overview

Papers
187
Total Citations
3,785
Papers (5y)
31
Primary Field
Medicine

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
31total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
608total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|431 citations·2016
Sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and significant fibrosis
Bo Kyung Koo, Donghee Kim, Sae Kyung Joo, Jung Ho Kim, Mee Soo Chang, Byeong Gwan Kim, Kook Lae Lee, Won Kim
SJR Q1FWCI 19.5Journal of Hepatology
EpidemiologyMedicine
2
Article|122 citations·2017
Growth differentiation factor 15 predicts advanced fibrosis in biopsy‐proven non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease
Bo Kyung Koo, Sung Hee Um, Dong Soo Seo, Sae Kyung Joo, Jeong Mo Bae, Jeong Hwan Park, Mee Soo Chang, Jung Ho Kim, Jieun Lee, Won‐Il Jeong, Won Kim
SJR Q1FWCI 6.0Liver International

Our findings suggest that GDF15 may serve as a novel biomarker of advanced fibrosis in NAFLD, thereby indicating the need for urgent anti-fibrotic pharmacotherapy.

RheumatologyMedicine
3
Article|107 citations·2017
Additive effects of <i>PNPLA3</i> and <i>TM6SF2</i> on the histological severity of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease
Bo Kyung Koo, Sae Kyung Joo, Donghee Kim, Jeong Mo Bae, Jeong Hwan Park, Jung Ho Kim, Won Kim
SJR Q1FWCI 7.9Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 determine the risk of NASH and significant fibrosis, even after adjustment for insulin resistance, and exert an additive effect on NASH and significant fibrosis.

EpidemiologyMedicine
4
Article|96 citations·2014
The Incidence and Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and Related Atherosclerotic Complications in Korea: A National Health Insurance Database Study
Bo Kyung Koo, Chang‐Hoon Lee, Bo Ram Yang, Seung-Sik Hwang, Nam‐Kyong Choi
SJR Q1FWCI 5.8PLoS ONEOA

Our study measured the national incidences of T2DM, CAD, CVD, and PAD, which are of great concern for public health. We also confirmed the relatively higher risk of CAD and CVD newly detected T2DM patients compared to the general population in Korea.

Pulmonary and Respiratory MedicineMedicine
5
Article|83 citations·2007
Polymorphisms of <i>KCNJ11</i> (Kir6.2 gene) are associated with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension in the Korean population
Bo Kyung Koo, Young‐Man Cho, B. L. Park, Hyun Sub Cheong, Hyoung Doo Shin, Hak Chul Jang, Su Yeong Kim, H. K. Lee, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q1FWCI 1.6Diabetic Medicine

Polymorphisms in KCNJ11 are associated with Type 2 diabetes and also with hypertension in the Korean population.

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
6
Article|61 citations·2020
Association between muscle strength and advanced fibrosis in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease: a Korean nationwide survey
Sunyoung Kang, Min Kyong Moon, Won Kim, Bo Kyung Koo
SJR Q1FWCI 3.9Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and MuscleOA

Low muscle strength is independently associated with NAFLD. The significant association between LMS and advanced fibrosis in NAFLD may be mediated through insulin resistance.

EpidemiologyMedicine
7
Article|55 citations·2016
Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Korea: A National Health Insurance Database Study
Bo Kyung Koo, Joon-Ho Lee, Jimin Kim, Eun Jin Jang, Chang‐Hoon Lee
SJR Q1FWCI 5.4PLoS ONEOA

The prevalence of GDM in Korean women recently reached 5.7-9.5% in recent years. This represents a public health concern that warrants proper screening and medical care for GDM in women during the childbearing years.

Obstetrics and GynecologyMedicine
8
Article|54 citations·2021
Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease and sarcopenia additively increase mortality: a Korean nationwide survey
Joon Ho Moon, Bo Kyung Koo, Won Kim
SJR Q1FWCI 6.0Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and MuscleOA

Concurrent NAFLD and sarcopenia conferred a two-fold higher risk of mortality. The observation that NAFLD and sarcopenia additively increase mortality suggests that risk stratification would be helpful in predicting mortality among those with metabolic derangement.

EpidemiologyMedicine
9
Review|48 citations·2008
Two Cases of Ectopic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Syndrome with Olfactory Neuroblastoma and Literature Review
Bo Kyung Koo, Jee Hyun An, Ki Hyun Jeon, Sung Hee Choi, Young Min Cho, Hak Chul Jang, Jin-Haeng Chung, Chol Hee Lee, Soo Lim
SJR Q2FWCI 2.1Endocrine JournalOA

Olfactory neuroblastomas are rare, slow-growing malignant tumors, usually diagnosed at advanced stages. Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) syndrome caused by an olfactory neuroblastoma is extremely rare. We reported two Korean women who suffered from ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS) caused by olfactory neuroblastomas. The first patient was a 66-year-old woman who had been diagnosed as olfactory neuroblastoma and refused the management two years before and the second patient was a 37-year-old

SurgeryMedicine
10
Article|48 citations·2015
Difference between old and young adults in contribution of β‐cell function and sarcopenia in developing diabetes mellitus
Bo Kyung Koo, Eun Roh, Ye Yang, Min Kyong Moon
SJR Q1FWCI 1.3Journal of Diabetes InvestigationOA

Elderly-onset diabetic patients had higher insulin resistance and relatively preserved β-cell function compared with middle-age-onset patients. Sarcopenia might play a more important role in developing diabetes in the elderly population.

PhysiologyMedicine
11
Article|45 citations·2020
Development and Validation of a Scoring System, Based on Genetic and Clinical Factors, to Determine Risk of Steatohepatitis in Asian Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Bo Kyung Koo, Sae Kyung Joo, Donghee Kim, Seonhwa Lee, Jeong Mo Bae, Jeong Hwan Park, Jung Ho Kim, Mee Soo Chang, Won Kim
SJR Q1FWCI 4.8Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
EpidemiologyMedicine
12
Article|43 citations·2014
Identification of Novel Autoantibodies in Type 1 Diabetic Patients Using a High-Density Protein Microarray
Bo Kyung Koo, Sehyun Chae, Kristine M. Kim, Min Jueng Kang, Eunhee G. Kim, Soo Heon Kwak, Hye Seung Jung, Young Min Cho, Sung Hee Choi, Young Joo Park, Choong Ho Shin, Hak Chul Jang
SJR Q1FWCI 4.4DiabetesOA

Autoantibodies can facilitate diagnostic and therapeutic means for type 1 diabetes (T1DM). We profiled autoantibodies from serum samples of 16 T1DM patients, 16 type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients, and 27 healthy control subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) by using protein microarrays containing 9,480 proteins. Two novel autoantibodies, anti-EEF1A1 and anti-UBE2L3, were selected from microarrays followed by immunofluorescence staining of pancreas. We then tested the validity of the candidat

GeneticsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
13
Review|42 citations·2022
Assessment of Muscle Quantity, Quality and Function
Bo Kyung Koo
SJR Q1FWCI 4.4Journal of Obesity & Metabolic SyndromeOA

Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that can increase the risk of physical disability, chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases, and long-term mortality. Sarcopenia adversely affects not only the elderly population, but also young adults. This review provides updated definitions of sarcopenia and recommendations for the assessment of muscle quantity and quality.

PhysiologyMedicine
14
Article|37 citations·2019
The association between liver fat and systemic calcified atherosclerosis
Bo Kyung Koo, Matthew Allison, Michael H. Criqui, Julie O. Denenberg, C. Michael Wright
SJR Q1FWCI 3.5Journal of Vascular Surgery
EpidemiologyMedicine
15
Article|37 citations·2012
Isolation and Characterization of Chorionic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Human Full Term Placenta
Bo Kyung Koo, In Yang Park, Jiyeon Kim, Jihyun Kim, Ahlm Kwon, Myungshin Kim, Yonggoo Kim, Jong Chul Shin, Jong‐Hoon Kim
SJR Q2FWCI 2.1Journal of Korean Medical ScienceOA

This study focused on the characterization of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from the chorion of human full term placenta from 15 donors. Chorionic MSCs revealed homologous fibroblast-like morphology and expressed CD73, CD29, CD105, and CD90. The hematopoietic stem cell markers including HLA DR, CD11b, CD34, CD79a, and CD45 were not expressed. The growth kinetics of their serial passage was steady at the later passages (passage 10). The multilineage capability of chorionic MSCs was demonstrate

GeneticsMedicine

Research Areas

EpidemiologyEndocrinology, Diabetes and MetabolismCardiology and Cardiovascular MedicinePhysiologySurgeryGenetics

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