The Kim & Ahn Lab
Johns Hopkins University
Our research spans the disciplinary boundaries between nanotechnology, biomaterials, and mechanobiology with an emphasis on their applications to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Through the use of multi-scale (nano/micro/meso) fabrication and integration tools, we focus on the development and application of bio-inspired materials/devices and functional tissue engineering models for elucidating regenerative biology, drug screening, disease modeling, and stem cell-based therapies. Using engineered microenvironments in combination with quantitative live cell imaging approaches, we are also studying the intricate interactions between mechanical and biochemical signaling in the regulation of cell/tissue function and fate decisions that are essential for tumor progression and metastasis, tissue repair and regeneration following injury, and various developmental events. The ultimate goal of our research is to better understand complex cellular behavior in response to microenvironmental cues in normal, aging and disease states, to gain new mechanistic insights into the control of cell-tissue structure and function, and to develop multi-scale regenerative technologies for improving human health.
The Kim Lab at Johns Hopkins University
Astronaut Jessica Meir with the engineered heart tissues in their electronic habitat aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Photo courtesy of NASA.
Our Research
Biologically inspired materials, tissue microenvironment, organs-on-chips, and 3D bioprinting
Systems mechanobiology of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions
Human stem cell and tissue engineering for drug screening, disease modeling, and regenerative therapy
Select Publications
S. J. Choi, Z. Liu, F. Yang, et al. “ 3D Spatiotemporal Electrophysiology of Cardiac Organoids Using Shell Microelectrode Arrays.” Adv. Mater. (2025): e06793. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202506793
J. Shin, N. Tabatabaei Rezaei, S. Choi, Z. Li, D.-H. Kim, and K. Kim, “ Photocrosslinkable Kidney Decellularized Extracellular Matrix-Based Bioink for 3D Bioprinting.” Adv. Healthcare Mater. 14, no. 24 (2025): 14, 2501616. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202501616
Saraithong, P., Krajcarski, P., Kusaka, Y. et al. AI-guided laser purification of human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes for next-generation cardiac cell manufacturing. Commun Biol 8, 745 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08162-0
J. S. Choi, H.-B. Park, S. H. Lee, et al. “ High-Throughput 96-Well Nanogroove-Enhanced Electrical Impedance Biosensor for Real-Time Label-Free Cancer Drug Screening.” Adv. Healthcare Mater. 14, no. 22 (2025): 14, 2402057. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202402057