# Kwang-Soo Kim Professor of Psychiatry ![Kim Kwang Soo standing in lab](/sites/g/files/omnuum5476/files/styles/hwp_4_5__480x600/public/2025-04/KS%20Kim%20image.jpeg?h=5c200a52&itok=s6Sh3NDu) location\_on McLean Hospital Molecular Neurobiology Lab, Room 216115 Mill Street Belmont, MA 02478 smartphone [617-855-2024](tel:617-855-2024) email laptop\_windows [Lab Website](https://kimlab.mclean.harvard.edu/) laptop\_windows [Publications](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=(%22Harvard%22%5BAffiliation%5D%20OR%20%22McLean%22%5BAffiliation%5D)%20AND%20(Kim,%20Ks%5BFull%20Author%20Name%5D%20OR%20Kim%20KS%5BAuthor%5D%20OR%20Kim%20KS%5BInvestigator%5D)&cmd=DetailsSearch&log$=details) laptop\_windows [MGB Profile](https://www.mcleanhospital.org/profile/kwang-soo-kim) The central focus of our laboratory is to elucidate the molecular and developmental mechanisms that govern the midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) system in both health and disease. This foundational research anchors our bench-to-bedside philosophy, driving the translation of basic scientific discoveries into transformative therapies for neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, characterized by the selective degeneration of mDA neurons. Although described more than two centuries ago, current treatments remain purely symptomatic, with no available interventions capable of halting or reversing disease progression. Our laboratory is dedicated to dissecting the molecular and transcriptional networks that regulate mDA neuron function, with a particular focus on identifying pathogenic mechanisms in PD and developing innovative therapeutic strategies. A central area of our research is the nuclear receptor Nurr1, a pivotal regulator of mDA neuron development, maintenance, and neuroinflammatory responses. Historically considered ligand-independent, Nurr1 has been redefined by our discovery of both synthetic and endogenous agonists that exhibit neuroprotective effects and mechanism-based therapeutic potential—opening new avenues for drug development. In parallel, our laboratory has been at the forefront of regenerative medicine, pioneering the development of safe, patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). To facilitate clinical translation, we established an integration-free reprogramming approach through direct protein delivery. More recently, we uncovered critical insights into the metabolic reprogramming that occurs during human induced pluripotency, enabling the generation of safer, more efficient iPSCs optimized for biomedical and clinical use. We continue to advance the directed differentiation of iPSCs into functional mDA neurons and to refine transplantation parameters—enhancing tools for disease modeling and personalized cell therapy. These innovations culminated in a landmark achievement: the first treatment of a PD patient in 2017 using mDA progenitors derived from the patient’s own fibroblasts and iPSCs. In 2023, our Investigational New Drug (IND) application for personalized cell therapy targeting PD received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We are now partnering with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to initiate a first-in-human clinical trial—marking a pivotal step toward realizing personalized regenerative therapies for neurodegenerative disease. - ## Location [McLean Hospital](/location/mclean-hospital) - ## Research Interests [Cell Biology of Neurons & Glia](/research-interests/cell-biology-neurons-glia) [Gene Expression](/research-interests/gene-expression) - ## Research Techniques [Molecular Biological and Genetic](/research-technique/molecular-biological-and-genetic) [Neuronal Tissue and Cell Culture](/research-technique/neuronal-tissue-and-cell-culture) - ## People [Faculty](/people/faculty)