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Yunju Kim

Yonsei University · Medicine

About the Lab

Professor Yunju Kim's research lab focuses on plant developmental biology, with a central emphasis on the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate stem cell maintenance and differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. The lab investigates the roles of microRNAs, transcription factors, and chromatin-modifying enzymes—such as histone deacetylases and SANT domain proteins—in orchestrating precise temporal and spatial control of floral development. Key research directions include the integration of epigenetic regulation, post-transcriptional gene silencing, and signal transduction pathways in plant stem cell fate determination and floral determinacy.

stem cell regulationepigenetic regulationmicroRNAsfloral developmentchromatin remodeling

Research Overview

Papers
122
Total Citations
3,553
Papers (5y)
32
Primary Field
Medicine

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
32total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
75total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|287 citations·2011
The role of Mediator in small and long noncoding RNA production in Arabidopsis thaliana
Yun Ju Kim, Binglian Zheng, Yu Yu, So Youn Won, Beixin Mo, Xuemei Chen
SJR Q1The EMBO JournalOA
Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
2
Article|208 citations·2011
ARGONAUTE10 and ARGONAUTE1 Regulate the Termination of Floral Stem Cells through Two MicroRNAs in Arabidopsis
Lijuan Ji, Xigang Liu, Jun Yan, Wenming Wang, Rae Eden Yumul, Yun Ju Kim, Thanh Theresa Dinh, Jun Liu, Xia Cui, Binglian Zheng, Manu Agarwal, Chunyan Liu
SJR Q1PLoS GeneticsOA

Stem cells are crucial in morphogenesis in plants and animals. Much is known about the mechanisms that maintain stem cell fates or trigger their terminal differentiation. However, little is known about how developmental time impacts stem cell fates. Using Arabidopsis floral stem cells as a model, we show that stem cells can undergo precise temporal regulation governed by mechanisms that are distinct from, but integrated with, those that specify cell fates. We show that two microRNAs, miR172 and

Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
3
Article|111 citations·2016
POWERDRESS and HDA9 interact and promote histone H3 deacetylation at specific genomic sites in Arabidopsis
Yun Ju Kim, Ruozhong Wang, Lei Gao, Dongming Li, Chi Xu, Hyunggon Mang, Jien Jeon, Xiangsong Chen, Xuehua Zhong, June M. Kwak, Beixin Mo, Langtao Xiao
SJR Q1Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesOA

Histone acetylation is a major epigenetic control mechanism that is tightly linked to the promotion of gene expression. Histone acetylation levels are balanced through the opposing activities of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Arabidopsis HDAC genes (AtHDACs) compose a large gene family, and distinct phenotypes among AtHDAC mutants reflect the functional specificity of individual AtHDACs However, the mechanisms underlying this functional diversity are largely

Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
4
Article|90 citations·2003
The V‐PLC3 gene encodes a putative plasma membrane‐localized phosphoinositide‐specific phospholipase C whose expression is induced by abiotic stress in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.)1
Yun Ju Kim, Jee Eun Kim, Jae‐Hoon Lee, Myoung Hui Lee, Ho Won Jung, Young Yil Bahk, Byung Kook Hwang, Inhwan Hwang, Woo Taek Kim
SJR Q1FEBS Letters

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate to generate inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, both of which act as secondary messengers in animal cells. In this report, we identified in Vigna radiata L. (mung bean) three distinct partial cDNAs (pVr-PLC1, pVr-PLC2, and pVr-PLC3), which encode forms of putative PI-PLC. All three Vr-PLC genes were transcriptionally active and displayed unique patterns of expression.

Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
5
Article|80 citations·2013
POWERDRESS and Diversified Expression of the MIR172 Gene Family Bolster the Floral Stem Cell Network
Rae Eden Yumul, Yun Ju Kim, Xigang Liu, Ruozhong Wang, Junhui Ding, Langtao Xiao, Xuemei Chen
SJR Q1PLoS GeneticsOA

Termination of the stem cells in the floral meristem (also known as floral determinacy) is critical for the reproductive success of plants, and the molecular activities regulating floral determinacy are precisely orchestrated during the course of floral development. In Arabidopsis thaliana, regulators of floral determinacy include several transcription factor genes, such as APETALA2 (AP2), AGAMOUS (AG), SUPERMAN (SUP), and CRABSCLAW (CRC), as well as a microRNA (miRNA), miR172, which targets AP2

Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
6
Article|66 citations·2018
Early Prediction of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI and Ultrasound in Breast Cancer
Yun Ju Kim, Sung Hun Kim, Byung Joo Song, Bong Joo Kang, Kwangil Yim, Ahwon Lee, Yoonho Nam
SJR Q1Korean Journal of RadiologyOA

Quantitative analysis of DCE-MRI and DCE-US was helpful for early prediction of response to NAC.

Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMedicine
7
Article|63 citations·2014
Readout-Segmented Echo-Planar Imaging in Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging in Breast Cancer: Comparison with Single-Shot Echo-Planar Imaging in Image Quality
Yun Ju Kim, Sung Hun Kim, Bong Joo Kang, Chang Suk Park, Hyeon Sook Kim, Yo Han Son, David A. Porter, Byung Joo Song
SJR Q1Korean Journal of RadiologyOA

Readout-segmented EPI is superior to ss-EPI in the aspect of image quality in DW MR imaging of the breast.

Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMedicine
8
Article|60 citations·2016
Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MR imaging of breast cancer: association with histopathological features and subtypes
Yun Ju Kim, Kyounglan Ko, Daehong Kim, Chang‐Ki Min, Sungheon Kim, Jungnam Joo, Boram Park
SJR Q1British Journal of RadiologyOA

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the associations between intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM)-derived parameters and histopathological features and subtypes of breast cancer. METHODS: Pre-operative MRI from 275 patients with unilateral breast cancer was analyzed. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and IVIM parameters [tissue diffusion coefficient (Dt), perfusion fraction (fp) and pseudodiffusion coefficient] were obtained from cancer and normal tissue using diffusion-weighted imaging with b-values o

Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMedicine
9
Review|53 citations·2017
Beyond the genetic code in leaf senescence
Seher Yolcu, Xiaojie Li, Shengben Li, Yun Ju Kim
SJR Q1Journal of Experimental BotanyOA

Leaf senescence is not only genetically programmed but also induced by exogenous stress to ensure completion of the plant life cycle, successful reproduction and environmental adaptability. Genetic reprogramming is a major aspect of leaf senescence, and the senescence signaling that follows is controlled by a complex regulatory network. Recent studies suggest that the activity of transcription factors together with epigenetic mechanisms ensures the robustness of this network, with the latter inc

Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
10
Article|49 citations·2017
Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MRI for predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer
Yun Ju Kim, Sung Hun Kim, Hye Won Lee, Byung Joo Song, Bong Joo Kang, Ahwon Lee, Yoonho Nam
SJR Q2Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMedicine
11
Article|27 citations·2020
Regulation of stomatal development by stomatal lineage miRNAs
Jiali Zhu, Ji-Hwan Park, Seulbee Lee, Jae Ho Lee, Daehee Hwang, June M. Kwak, Yun Ju Kim
SJR Q1Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesOA

Stomata in the plant epidermis play a critical role in growth and survival by controlling gas exchange, transpiration, and immunity to pathogens. Plants modulate stomatal cell fate and patterning through key transcriptional factors and signaling pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to contribute to developmental plasticity in multicellular organisms; however, no miRNAs appear to target the known regulators of stomatal development. It remains unclear as to whether miRNAs are involved in stomata

Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
12
Article|23 citations·2014
Impact of Radiotherapy on Background Parenchymal Enhancement in Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Yun Ju Kim, Sung Hun Kim, Byung Gil Choi, Bong Joo Kang, Hyeon Sook Kim, Eun Suk, Byung Joo Song
SJR Q2Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer PreventionOA

BACKGROUND: While many studies have shown that hormones can influence background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) in breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), only few have directly address the effect of radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of radiotherapy on BPE in breast MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective search identified 62 women with unilateral breast cancer who had a breast MRI both before and after radiotherapy following breast-conserving surgery. In our

Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMedicine
13
Article|21 citations·2018
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Assessment of Residual Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Relevance to Tumor Subtypes and MRI Interpretation Threshold
Yun Ju Kim, Sung Hoon Sim, Boram Park, Keun Seok Lee, In Hye Chae, In Hae Park, Youngmi Kwon, So‐Youn Jung, Seeyoun Lee, Kyounglan Ko, Han‐Sung Kang, Chan Wha Lee
SJR Q2Clinical Breast Cancer
Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
14
Article|19 citations·2011
The plant Mediator and its role in noncoding RNA production
Yun Ju Kim, Xuemei Chen
Frontiers in Biology
Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
15
Article|18 citations·2021
The usefulness of ultrafast MRI evaluation for predicting histologic upgrade of ductal carcinoma in situ
Sorin Heo, Ah Young Park, Hae Kyoung Jung, Kyung Hee Ko, Yun Ju Kim, Jieun Koh
SJR Q1European Journal of Radiology
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMedicine

Research Areas

Materials ChemistryPlant ScienceRadiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMolecular BiologyOncologyInorganic Chemistry

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