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Jasung Koo

Yonsei University · Medicine

About the Lab

Professor Jasung Koo's research lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying breast cancer progression, with a particular emphasis on tumor metabolism, immune microenvironment interactions, and therapeutic target discovery. The lab investigates dysregulated amino acid, glucose, and lipid metabolism in breast cancer subtypes, especially triple-negative and HER2-positive breast cancers, and explores the role of immune cells such as tumor-associated myeloid cells in tumor progression. The lab also evaluates biomarkers like PD-L1 across different antibodies to improve immunotherapy strategies in aggressive breast cancer subtypes. Their work integrates molecular pathology, metabolic reprogramming, and tumor microenvironment analysis to identify novel therapeutic targets and improve patient outcomes.

breast cancer metabolismtumor microenvironmentPD-L1 expressiontriple-negative breast cancermetabolic reprogramming

Research Overview

Papers
334
Total Citations
8,977
Papers (5y)
38
Primary Field
Medicine

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
38total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
123total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Review|264 citations·2017
Adipocyte biology in breast cancer: From silent bystander to active facilitator
Junjeong Choi, Yoon Jin, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Progress in Lipid ResearchOA
Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
2
Review|169 citations·2018
Amino Acid Transporters and Glutamine Metabolism in Breast Cancer
Yoon Jin, Eun-Sol Kim, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1International Journal of Molecular SciencesOA

Amino acid transporters are membrane transport proteins, most of which are members of the solute carrier families. Amino acids are essential for the survival of all types of cells, including tumor cells, which have an increased demand for nutrients to facilitate proliferation and cancer progression. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide and is still associated with high mortality rates, despite improved treatment strategies. Recent studies have demonstrated that the amin

BiochemistryBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
3
Review|167 citations·2021
Glucose Metabolism and Glucose Transporters in Breast Cancer
Eunah Shin, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Frontiers in Cell and Developmental BiologyOA

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide and is associated with high mortality rates despite the continuously advancing treatment strategies. Glucose is essential for cancer cell metabolism owing to the Warburg effect. During the process of glucose metabolism, various glycolytic metabolites, such as serine and glycine metabolites, are produced and other metabolic pathways, such as the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), are associated with the process. Glucose is transported i

Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
4
Article|161 citations·2015
Differential Expression of Lipid Metabolism-Related Proteins in Different Breast Cancer Subtypes
Sewha Kim, Yukyung Lee, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1PLoS ONEOA

Lipid metabolism-related proteins are differentially expressed in different IHC subtypes of breast cancer and some are associated with decreased survival rates.

Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
5
Article|129 citations·2016
Expression of PD-L1 in triple-negative breast cancer based on different immunohistochemical antibodies
Woo Young Sun, Yu Kyung Lee, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Journal of Translational MedicineOA

BACKGROUND: To date, there are no effective therapeutic targeting agents for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and PD-L1 has presented potential as an effective marker of immunotherapeutic agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of PD-L1 by three different immunohistochemical antibodies in TNBC. METHODS: Interpretation of all three PD-L1 antibodies showed good concordance among three readers (kappa value >0.610) in both cancer cells and immune cells. Using a tissue micro

OncologyMedicine
6
Article|126 citations·2009
Diffuse Sclerosing Variant Is a Major Subtype of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in the Young
Ja Seung Koo, Soon Won Hong, Cheong Soo Park
SJR Q1ThyroidOA

DSVPC is a major subtype of PTC in the young.

Endocrinology, Diabetes and MetabolismMedicine
7
Article|125 citations·2013
Analysis of phyllodes tumor recurrence according to the histologic grade
Sewha Kim, Ji‐Ye Kim, Do Hee Kim, Woo Hee Jung, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Breast Cancer Research and TreatmentOA
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
8
Review|119 citations·2020
Role of Tumor-Associated Myeloid Cells in Breast Cancer
Yoon Jin, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1CellsOA

Stromal immune cells constitute the tumor microenvironment. These immune cell subsets include myeloid cells, the so-called tumor-associated myeloid cells (TAMCs), which are of two types: tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Breast tumors, particularly those in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer, are solid tumors containing immune cell stroma. TAMCs drive breast cancer progression v

ImmunologyImmunology and Microbiology
9
Article|111 citations·2013
Metabolic interaction between cancer cells and stromal cells according to breast cancer molecular subtype
Junjeong Choi, Do Hee Kim, Woo Hee Jung, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Breast Cancer ResearchOA

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the differential expression of markers related to metabolic, mitochondrial and autophagy status in different molecular subtypes of breast cancer. METHODS: Using tissue microarray sections generated from 740 cases of breast cancer, we performed immunohistochemical staining for Glut-1, CAIX, MCT4, ATP synthase, glutaminase, BNIP3, Beclin-1, LC3A, LC3B and p62. Based on the immunohistochemical expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone

Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
10
Review|102 citations·2018
Multifaceted Roles of Interleukin-6 in Adipocyte–Breast Cancer Cell Interaction
Jones Gyamfi, Minseob Eom, Ja Seung Koo, Junjeong Choi
SJR Q1Translational OncologyOA

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide, with a developmental process spanning decades. The malignant cells recruit a variety of cells including fibroblasts, endothelial cells, immune cells, and adipocytes, creating the tumor microenvironment. The tumor microenvironment has emerged as active participants in breast cancer progression and response to treatment through autocrine and paracrine interaction with the malignant cells. Adipose tissue is abundant in the breast cance

OncologyMedicine
11
Article|95 citations·2014
Differential Expression of Enzymes Associated with Serine/Glycine Metabolism in Different Breast Cancer Subtypes
Sang Kyum Kim, Woo Hee Jung, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1PLoS ONEOA

Expression of serine-metabolism-associated proteins was increased in TNBC and decreased in the luminal-A cancers. Expression of glycine-metabolism-associated proteins was high in the tumor and stroma of HER-2-positive cancers.

BiochemistryBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
12
Article|90 citations·2015
Adipocytes can induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells
Yukyung Lee, Woo Hee Jung, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Breast Cancer Research and TreatmentOA
OncologyMedicine
13
Article|81 citations·2016
Expression of serine/glycine metabolism-related proteins is different according to the thyroid cancer subtype
Woo Young Sun, Hye Min Kim, Woo‐Hee Jung, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Journal of Translational MedicineOA

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and clinical implications of proteins related to serine/glycine metabolism in different subtypes of thyroid cancer. METHODS: Tissue microarray (TMA) was constructed with tissues from 557 thyroid cancers, consisting of 244 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC), 112 follicular carcinomas (FC), 70 medullary carcinomas (MC), 23 poorly differentiated carcinomas (PDC), and 8 anaplastic carcinomas (AC). Immunohistochemical staining of the

Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
14
Article|75 citations·2015
Differential expression of cancer-associated fibroblast-related proteins according to molecular subtype and stromal histology in breast cancer
Sung Yeon Park, Hye Min Kim, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Breast Cancer Research and TreatmentOA
OncologyMedicine
15
Article|71 citations·2016
Expression of cancer-associated fibroblast-related proteins differs between invasive lobular carcinoma and invasive ductal carcinoma
Cheol Keun Park, Woo Hee Jung, Ja Seung Koo
SJR Q1Breast Cancer Research and TreatmentOA
Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Research Areas

Cancer ResearchOncologyMolecular BiologyPathology and Forensic MedicineEndocrinology, Diabetes and MetabolismEpidemiology

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