Research | Shinseog Kim Lab

Research Overview

Our laboratory is interested in understanding how genome maintenance mechanisms are integrated with development and cell identity.
During embryonic development and tissue formation, cells undergo rapid proliferation, extensive epigenetic remodeling, and lineage specification within a limited time window. These processes place strong demands on DNA replication, repair, and chromatin regulation, making developing tissues particularly vulnerable to genome instability.

We aim to define how cells preserve genome integrity while transitioning between developmental states, and how defects in these processes lead to developmental abnormalities and tissue-specific dysfunction.

Conceptual schematic of epigenetic reprogramming during development,
highlighting the requirement for genome maintenance during these transitions.

Key Research Themes

Genome maintenance during development
We study how DNA replication, repair, and replication termination are coordinated with chromatin reassembly to support embryonic development and lineage specification. Our work focuses on identifying critical genome maintenance steps that become limiting during early development.

Epigenetic regulation and cell identity
We investigate how genome maintenance pathways intersect with epigenetic regulation to stabilize or alter cell identity. In particular, we are interested in how failures in replication-coupled chromatin resetting can lead to inappropriate gene expression, activation of repetitive elements, and impaired differentiation.

Tissue-specific vulnerability to genome instability
Not all tissues respond equally to genome instability. We explore why certain cell types—such as neural progenitors and hematopoietic cells—are especially sensitive to defects in genome maintenance, and how these vulnerabilities contribute to developmental and functional defects.

Transposable elements and transcription–replication conflicts
We examine how repetitive elements and transcriptional activity challenge genome stability during development, and how cells normally suppress these threats to maintain proper developmental programs.

Model Systems and Approaches

To address these questions, we integrate genetic mouse models and embryonic stem cell systems with complementary zebrafish approaches. Our current work centers on ATAD5, a regulator of PCNA dynamics during DNA replication, as an entry point to investigate how defects in genome maintenance influence chromatin regulation, epigenetic stability, and tissue-specific developmental outcomes.

Genomic integrity challenges during development