Arianna L Kim, PhD

  • Assistant Professor of Dermatology at CUMC

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Overview

Arianna L Kim, PhD, received her PhD in Molecular Biology from McGill University and completed her postdoctoral training at the Roche Institute and Columbia University. Her research focuses on photodamage and UV carcinogenesis, with a primary aim to develop mechanism-based strategies for preventing and treating non-melanoma skin cancer.

Academic Appointments

  • Assistant Professor of Dermatology at CUMC

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • PhD, McGill University
  • Fellowship: Roche Institute of Molecular Biology & Columbia University

Research

Our research aims to elucidate the dynamics of epigenomic aberrations and their interplay with oncogenic and microenvironmental signaling in driving the growth of nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). By integrating genetic and cell-based approaches with unique murine models developed in our laboratory, we investigate disease mechanisms and explore therapeutic strategies with the goal of accelerating their clinical translation.

Our ongoing research program is currently focused on three key areas:

  1. Epigenetic mechanisms of drug resistance: Investigating chromatin modifications and gene expression programs linked to therapy resistance, with a focus on BRD7 and BRD9 of the SWItch/Sucrose NonFermentable (SWI/SNF) nucleosome remodeling complexes, which we have identified as potential epigenetic targets driving BCC survival and resistance to Hedgehog (Hh)-targeted therapies.
  2. Tumor-driven immune regulation: Defining how the tumor-intrinsic BRD7−BRD9 axis shapes the immune microenvironment, influences tumor immunogenicity, and modulates immune evasion mechanisms.
  3. Epigenetic-based therapeutic strategies: Developing targeted approaches to reprogram chromatin states and prevent NMSC progression.

Research Interests

  • Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
  • Cancer Immunoediting
  • Epigenetics
  • Genetics
  • Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitors
  • Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC)

Selected Publications

  1. Morgado-Palacin L, Brown JA, Martinez TF, Garcia-Pedrero JM, Forouhar F, Quinn SA, Reglero C, Vaughan J, Heydary YH, Donaldson C, Rodriguez-Perales S, Allonca E, Granda-Diaz R, Fernandez AF, Fraga MF, Kim AL, Santos-Juanes J, Owens DM, Rodrigo JP, Saghatelian A, Ferrando AA. The TINCR ubiquitin-like microprotein is a tumor suppressor in squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Commun. 2023 Mar 10;14(1):1328. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-36713-8. PMID: 36899004; PMCID: PMC10006087.
  2. Li C, Mishra B, Kashyap M, Weng Z, Andrabi SA, Mukhtar SM, Kim AL, Bickers DR, Kopelovich L, Athar M. Patched1 haploinsufficiency severely impacts intermediary metabolism in the skin of Ptch1+/-/ODC transgenic mice. Sci Rep. 2019 Sep 10;9(1):13072. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-49470-w. Erratum in: Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 11;11(1):20527. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-98190-7. PMID: 31506465; PMCID: PMC6737076.
  3. Kim AL, Back JH, Chaudhary SC, Zhu Y, Athar M, Bickers DR. SOX9 Transcriptionally Regulates mTOR-Induced Proliferation of Basal Cell Carcinomas. J Invest Dermatol. 2018 Aug;138(8):1716-1725. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2018.01.040. Epub 2018 Mar 14. PMID: 29550418; PMCID: PMC6056318.
  4. Kim AL, Back JH, Zhu Y, Tang X, Yardley NP, Kim KJ, Athar M, Bickers DR. AKT1 Activation is Obligatory for Spontaneous BCC Tumor Growth in a Murine Model that Mimics Some Features of Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2016 Oct;9(10):794-802. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-16-0066. Epub 2016 Jul 7. PMID: 27388747; PMCID: PMC6028004.
  5. Chaudhary SC, Tang X, Arumugam A, Li C, Srivastava RK, Weng Z, Xu J, Zhang X, Kim AL, McKay K, Elmets CA, Kopelovich L, Bickers DR, Athar M. Shh and p50/Bcl3 signaling crosstalk drives pathogenesis of BCCs in Gorlin syndrome. Oncotarget. 2015 Nov 3;6(34):36789-814. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.5103. PMID: 26413810; PMCID: PMC4742211.
  6. Rezvani HR, Kim AL, Rossignol R, Ali N, Daly M, Mahfouf W, Bellance N, Taïeb A, de Verneuil H, Mazurier F, Bickers DR. XPC silencing in normal human keratinocytes triggers metabolic alterations that drive the formation of squamous cell carcinomas. J Clin Invest. 2011 Jan;121(1):195-211. doi: 10.1172/JCI40087. Epub 2010 Dec 1. PMID: 21123941; PMCID: PMC3007130.
  7. Tang X, Zhu Y, Han L, Kim AL, Kopelovich L, Bickers DR, Athar M. CP-31398 restores mutant p53 tumor suppressor function and inhibits UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis in mice. J Clin Invest. 2007 Dec;117(12):3753-64. doi: 10.1172/JCI32481. PMID: 18060030; PMCID: PMC2096455.
  8. Kim AL, Labasi JM, Zhu Y, Tang X, McClure K, Gabel CA, Athar M, Bickers DR. Role of p38 MAPK in UVB-induced inflammatory responses in the skin of SKH-1 hairless mice. J Invest Dermatol. 2005 Jun;124(6):1318-25. doi: 10.1111/j.0022-202X.2005.23747.x. Erratum in: J Invest Dermatol. 2005 Dec;125(6):1320. PMID: 15955110.

For a complete list of publications, please visit PubMed.gov