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Ji Won Koh

Seoul National University · Medicine

About the Lab

Professor Ji Won Koh's research lab specializes in translational cancer immunology and molecular oncology, focusing on the tumor immune microenvironment, particularly in gastrointestinal cancers such as gastric cancer and neuroendocrine carcinomas. The lab investigates immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression (e.g., PD-L1), and genetic drivers (e.g., HAVCR2, TP53) to classify tumor subtypes and identify therapeutic vulnerabilities. Using integrated multi-omics approaches—including immunohistochemistry, targeted sequencing, RNA-seq, and spatial profiling—the lab aims to uncover biological mechanisms underlying tumor progression and treatment response.

tumor microenvironmentgastric cancerneuroendocrine carcinomaimmune checkpointmultiplex immunohistochemistry

Research Overview

Papers
134
Total Citations
1,687
Papers (5y)
78
Primary Field
Medicine

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
78total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
354total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|66 citations·2017
Clinicopathologic implications of immune classification by PD-L1 expression and CD8-positive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in stage II and III gastric cancer patients
Jiwon Koh, Chan-Young Ock, Jin Won Kim, Soo Kyung Nam, Yoonjin Kwak, Sumi Yun, Sang-Hoon Ahn, Do Joong Park, Hyung‐Ho Kim, Woo Ho Kim, Hye Seung Lee
SJR Q2OncotargetOA

We co-assessed PD-L1 expression and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in gastric cancer (GC), and categorized into 4 microenvironment immune types. Immunohistochemistry (PD-L1, CD8, Foxp3, E-cadherin, and p53), PD-L1 mRNA in situ hybridization (ISH), microsatellite instability (MSI), and EBV ISH were performed in 392 stage II/III GCs treated with curative surgery and fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy, and two public genome databases were analyzed for validation. PD-L1+ was found in

OncologyMedicine
2
Article|58 citations·2021
Genetic profiles of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma and clinicopathological impact of HAVCR2 mutations
Jiwon Koh, Insoon Jang, Seungchan Mun, Chul Lee, Hee Jeong Cha, Young‐Ha Oh, Jin‐Man Kim, Jae Ho Han, Jin Ho Paik, Junhun Cho, Young Hyeh Ko, Chan-Sik Park
SJR Q1Blood AdvancesOA

Recent studies identified germline mutations in HAVCR2 (encoding T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 3) as a genetic factor that predisposes to subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL). However, the differences between HAVCR2-mutated (HAVCR2MUT) and HAVCR2 wild-type (HAVCR2WT) SPTCLs remain unclear. A nationwide cohort of 53 patients with SPTCL diagnosed at 8 Korean institutions was established. Whole-exome sequencing and RNA-sequencing were performed on 8 patients in the discovery set. In

DermatologyMedicine
3
Article|38 citations·2011
Discrepancy between participants' understanding and desire to know in informed consent: are they informed about what they really want to know?
Jiwon Koh, Eurah Goh, Kyung‐Sang Yu, Belong Cho, Jeong Hee Yang
SJR Q1Journal of Medical Ethics

BACKGROUND: Participants' understanding of clinical trials is important in informed consent. However, little is known about what information participants really want to know. AIMS: To demonstrate the existence of a discrepancy between participants' understanding and their desire to know. METHODS: The participants in clinical trials at Seoul National University Hospital were surveyed. The survey consisted of 11 statements based on the essential elements of informed consent. The participants gave

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
4
Article|29 citations·2020
Comprehensive genetic features of gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinomas and pure neuroendocrine carcinomas
Jiwon Koh, Soo Kyung Nam, Yoonjin Kwak, Gilhyang Kim, Ka‐Kyung Kim, Byung‐Chul Lee, Sang Hoon Ahn, Do Joong Park, Hyung‐Ho Kim, Kyoung Un Park, Woo Ho Kim, Hye Seung Lee
SJR Q1The Journal of Pathology

Abstract We aimed to determine the pathogenesis of gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) and pure neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), which is largely unknown. Targeted DNA sequencing was performed on 34 tumor samples from 21 patients – 13 adenocarcinoma (ADC)/NEC components from MANECs and eight pure NECs – and 21 matched non‐neoplastic gastric tissues. Mutational profiles of MANECs/NECs were compared with those of other tumors using public databases. The majority (64.1%; 59/92) of mu

EpidemiologyMedicine
5
Article|28 citations·2022
Molecular Classification of Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinomas With Emphasis on POU2F3-positive Tuft Cell Carcinoma
Jiwon Koh, Haeryoung Kim, Kyung‐Chul Moon, Chul Lee, Kyoungbun Lee, Han Suk Ryu, Kyeong Cheon Jung, Yoon Kyung Jeon
SJR Q1The American Journal of Surgical PathologyOA

Extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas (EP-NECs) are associated with a poor clinical outcome, and limited information is available on the biology and treatment of EP-NECs. We studied EP-NECs by applying the recent novel findings from studies of pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas, including POU2F3, the master regulator of tuft cell variant of small cell lung carcinomas. A cohort of 190 patients with surgically resected EP-NECs or poorly differentiated carcinomas (PDCs) were established. Immuno

EpidemiologyMedicine
6
Article|25 citations·2019
High-Throughput Multiplex Immunohistochemical Imaging of the Tumor and Its Microenvironment
Jiwon Koh, Yoonjin Kwak, Jin Kim, Woo Ho Kim
SJR Q1Cancer Research and TreatmentOA

We developed a robust method for high-throughput multiplex imaging of FFPE tissue slides. The feasibility and adaptability of mIHC suggest that it is an efficient method for in situ single-cell characterization and analysis.

OncologyMedicine
7
Article|25 citations·2019
Development and Validation of an Easy-to-Implement, Practical Algorithm for the Identification of Molecular Subtypes of Gastric Cancer: Prognostic and Therapeutic Implications
Jiwon Koh, Keun‐Wook Lee, Soo Kyung Nam, An Na Seo, Ji‐Won Kim, Jin Won Kim, Do Joong Park, Hyung‐Ho Kim, Woo Ho Kim, Hye Seung Lee
SJR Q1The OncologistOA

Abstract Background Gastric cancer (GC) is a heterogeneous disease, and substantial efforts have been made to develop a molecular biology-based classification system for GC. Analysis of the genomic signature is not always feasible, and thus, we aimed to (i) develop and validate a practical immunohistochemistry (IHC)- and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular classification of GC and (ii) to assess HER2 status according to this classification. Materials and Methods A total of 894 consec

Pulmonary and Respiratory MedicineMedicine
8
Article|23 citations·2018
Somatic mutational profiles of stage II and III gastric cancer according to tumor microenvironment immune type
Jiwon Koh, Soo Kyung Nam, Hanseong Roh, Jonghyuk Kim, Byung‐Chul Lee, Jin Won Kim, Sang Hoon Ahn, Do Joong Park, Hyung‐Ho Kim, Kyoung Un Park, Jin Haeng Chung, Woo Ho Kim
SJR Q1Genes Chromosomes and Cancer

Abstract We aimed to determine somatic mutational profiles of stage II/III gastric cancers (GCs) according to their tumor microenvironment immune types (TMITs), which classify cancer based on co‐assessment of PD‐L1 expression and CD8 + tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. Eighty patients with stage II/III GC were classified as follows: TMIT I (PD‐L1 + /CD8 High ), TMIT II (PD‐L1 − /CD8 Low ), TMIT III (PD‐L1 + /CD8 Low ), and TMIT IV (PD‐L1 − /CD8 High ). Deep targeted sequencing using a panel of 170

OncologyMedicine
9
Article|17 citations·2022
Pediatric-Type Indolent B-Cell Lymphomas With Overlapping Clinical, Pathologic, and Genetic Features
Sojung Lim, Ka Young Lim, Jiwon Koh, Jeong Mo Bae, Hongseok Yun, Chul Lee, Young A Kim, Jin Ho Paik, Yoon Kyung Jeon
SJR Q1The American Journal of Surgical PathologyOA

Pediatric-type follicular lymphoma (PTFL) and pediatric nodal marginal zone lymphoma (PNMZL) are rare pediatric-type indolent B-cell lymphomas (PedIBCL) that differ clinicopathologically from their adult counterparts. Accurate diagnosis is important to avoid overtreatment but is often challenging. The mutational landscape of PTFL is known and may aid diagnosis, but the genetic features of PNMZL are not well understood. We analyzed 21 cases of PedIBCL according to their clinicopathologic findings

Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
10
Article|16 citations·2018
Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Breast: A Report of Two Cases
Jiwon Koh, Jihyeon Lee, So Youn Jung, Han Sung Kang, Tak Yun, Youngmee Kwon
SJR Q2Journal of Pathology and Translational MedicineOA

Primary malignant melanoma of the breast (PMMB) is a rare tumor with only a few case reports available in the literature. We report two cases of PMMB, one derived from the breast parenchyma and the other from the breast skin. The first case consisted of atypical epithelioid cells without overt melanocytic differentiation like melanin pigments. The tumor cells showed diffuse positivity for S100 protein, tyrosinase, and BRAF V600E. However, the tumor cells were negative for cytokeratin, epithelial

OncologyMedicine
11
Article|10 citations·2019
Trastuzumab Specific Epitope Evaluation as a Predictive and Prognostic Biomarker in Gastric Cancer Patients
Jiwon Koh, Soo Kyung Nam, Youn Woo Lee, Jin Won Kim, Keun‐Wook Lee, Chan-Young Ock, Do‐Youn Oh, Sang-Hoon Ahn, Hyung‐Ho Kim, Keon Wook Kang, Woo Ho Kim, Ho‐Young Lee
SJR Q1BiomoleculesOA

While human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) immunohistochemistry (IHC) antibodies bind to the intracellular domain, trastuzumab binds to the extracellular epitope of HER2 receptor: target of drug action. We aimed to evaluate clinical significance of the new IHC method assessing the target of trastuzumab in gastric cancer (GC) patients and compare with conventional methods. Sixty-nine trastuzumab-treated GC patients were enrolled from two different cohorts. Additionally, we enrolled 528

OncologyMedicine
12
Article|8 citations·2020
Discovery of Novel Recurrent Mutations and Clinically Meaningful Subgroups in Nodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma
Jiwon Koh, Insoon Jang, Seongmin Choi, Sehui Kim, Ingeon Jang, Hyun Kyung Ahn, Chul Lee, Jin Ho Paik, Chul Woo Kim, Megan S. Lim, Kwangsoo Kim, Yoon Kyung Jeon
SJR Q1CancersOA

Nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL) is a rare B-cell neoplasm, the genetic and transcriptomic landscape of which are unclear. Using high-throughput sequencing for whole-exome and transcriptome, we investigated the genetic characteristics of NMZL in a discovery cohort (n = 8) and validated their features in an extended cohort (n = 30). Novel mutations in NFKBIE and ITPR2 were found in 7.9% (3/38) and 13.9% (5/36), respectively, suggesting roles for the NF-κB pathway and B-cell-receptor-mediated c

Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
13
Review|7 citations·2022
Lymphoproliferative disorder involving body fluid: diagnostic approaches and roles of ancillary studies
Jiwon Koh, Sun Ah Shin, Ji Ae Lee, Yoon Kyung Jeon
SJR Q2Journal of Pathology and Translational MedicineOA

Lymphocyte-rich effusions represent benign reactive process or neoplastic condition. Involvement of lymphoproliferative disease in body cavity is not uncommon, and it often causes diagnostic challenge. In this review, we suggest a practical diagnostic approach toward lymphocyte-rich effusions, share representative cases, and discuss the utility of ancillary tests. Cytomorphologic features favoring neoplastic condition include high cellularity, cellular atypia/pleomorphism, monomorphic cell popul

Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
14
letter|6 citations·2023
Expanding the Clinicopathologic Spectrum of YAP1::MAML2–Rearranged Thymic Neoplasm
Eric Eunshik Kim, Ye Yoon Suh, Sang‐Won Lee, Jeong Mo Bae, Kyoung Bun Lee, Sungyoung Lee, Hongseok Yun, Kyeong Cheon Jung, Jiwon Koh
SJR Q1Modern PathologyOA
NeurologyMedicine
15
Article|6 citations·2018
Gastric inverted hyperplastic polyp with inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor-like stroma, mimicking GI stromal tumor
Jiwon Koh, Kook Lae Lee, Myong Seok Lee, Hye Sung Ahn, Mee Soo Chang
SJR Q1Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
SurgeryMedicine

Research Areas

OncologyPulmonary and Respiratory MedicineCancer ResearchPathology and Forensic MedicineSurgeryMolecular Biology

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