Kitai Kim, Ph.D.

  • Director, UCLA Human Stem Cell and Genome Engineering Center
KNKim@mednet.ucla.edu
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UCLA scientist Kitai Kim smiles for a headshot.

Kitai Kim, Ph.D., leads the UCLA Human Stem Cell and Genome Engineering Center, or HSCGEC, which combines independent research with shared stem cell and genome engineering resources. His work uses human stem cells, genome engineering and advanced disease models to investigate cancer biology, immunology, genetic disease and human cellular phenotypes, while expanding access to technologies that enable researchers to study and manipulate human cells.

Kim’s research program uses human stem cell and genome engineering technologies to investigate cancer biology, immunology, genetic disease and human cellular phenotypes. His team develops stem cell-enabled approaches to cancer immunotherapy while also building and optimizing human cellular models and research methods with an emphasis on scalability and reproducibility.

A major component of Kim’s program is enabling research across a broad range of disciplines through the HSCGEC. The center provides capabilities including induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming, genome engineering, genomic quality control, cell banking, tissue differentiation, organoid and phenotypic modeling and high-throughput automation. These resources support academic, foundation and industry collaborators studying a wide range of diseases and biological systems.

Kim and his team are expanding automated approaches to cell engineering, differentiation, screening and disease modeling, with the goal of providing researchers with coordinated access to advanced stem cell and genome engineering technologies.

  • Developing stem cell-enabled cancer immunotherapyA type of treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer, infections and other diseases. This approach has revolutionized cancer care and is also being applied in experimental treatments for HIV, lupus and other conditions.immunotherapyA type of treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer, infections and other diseases. This approach has revolutionized cancer care and is also being applied in experimental treatments for HIV, lupus and other conditions. platforms that integrate cancer biology, immunology, genome engineering and human disease modeling
  • Building scalable iPSC- and genome-engineering disease models across brain, muscle, lung, heart, kidney, eye, immune, vascular and cancer systems through the broader CIRM infrastructure network
  • Providing affordable, reproducible iPSC reprogrammingIn stem cell research, scientists can reprogram cells that have undergone differentiation, such as skin or blood cells, to revert back into an embryonic-like state. The resulting cells are called induced pluripotent stem cells.reprogrammingIn stem cell research, scientists can reprogram cells that have undergone differentiation, such as skin or blood cells, to revert back into an embryonic-like state. The resulting cells are called induced pluripotent stem cells., genome engineering, genomic quality control, cell banking, tissue differentiationThe process by which stem cells transform into specific, specialized cell types with distinct functions and features.differentiationThe process by which stem cells transform into specific, specialized cell types with distinct functions and features., organoid3D tissue grown from stem cells to replicate aspects of the structure and function of an organ. By modeling how multiple types of cells interact in biologically-relevant structures, these models help researchers understand how human organs develop, age and respond to disease in more detail than 2D cultures. organoid3D tissue grown from stem cells to replicate aspects of the structure and function of an organ. By modeling how multiple types of cells interact in biologically-relevant structures, these models help researchers understand how human organs develop, age and respond to disease in more detail than 2D cultures. and phenotyping services for academic, foundation and industry collaborators
  • Expanding CIRM-supported high-throughput automation and one-stop access to complementary UCLA and CIRM resources for cell engineering, differentiation, screening and advanced disease modeling
  • Developing the robotic automation infrastructure needed for GMP-quality data generation and future therapeutic-product development