Associate Professor Woojin Kim
People_

Associate Professor Woojin Kim

Associate Professor Kim is a Principal Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, conducting research in dementia and motor syndromes. Previously, he has held academic and research appointments at University of New South Wales (UNSW), Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and Harvard Medical School, and I received a PhD from UNSW. The focus of his research is on understanding the pathogenesis and delivering interventions for neurodegenerative diseases. As the head of the ForeFront biomarker program, he has led pioneering research in lipidomics and neuropathology based on human blood and brain tissues. He has published 118 papers, including high-impact journals, such as Nature Comm, Brain, Neurology, Scientific Reports and Acta Neuropathologica.

Neurodegenerative diseases

Biomarker development

Lipidomics

ATP-binding cassette subfamily A (ABCA) transporters

Frontotemporal dementia

Alzheimer’s disease

Multiple system atrophy

Motor neuron disease

Parkinson’s disease

Neurodegenerative diseases

Molecular biology

Genetics

Neuropathology

Developing blood biomarkers for frontotemporal dementia and motor neuron disease

Understanding the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies

Determining the function of the ABCA7 gene

Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, Neurosciences and Mental Health

Publications

Journals

  • Fu, Y., Pickford, R., Galper, J., Phan, K., Wu, P., Li, H., Kim, Y., Dzamko, N., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2024). A protective role of ABCA5 in response to elevated sphingomyelin levels in Parkinson’s disease. NPJ Parkinson's Disease, 10(1). [More Information]
  • da Cruz Rodrigues, K., Kim, S., Uner, A., Hou, Z., Young, J., Campolim, C., Aydogan, A., Chung, B., Choi, A., Yang, W., Kim, W., et al (2024). LRP1 in GABAergic neurons is a key link between obesity and memory function. Molecular Metabolism, 84. [More Information]
  • Yang, Y., Halliday, G., Naismith, S., Kim, W., Michaelian, J., Lewis, S., Phillips, C., D'Rozario, A., Chatterjee, P., Martins, R., Grunstein, R. (2024). Predicting neurodegeneration from sleep related biofluid changes. Neurobiology of Disease, 190, 106369. [More Information]

2024

  • Fu, Y., Pickford, R., Galper, J., Phan, K., Wu, P., Li, H., Kim, Y., Dzamko, N., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2024). A protective role of ABCA5 in response to elevated sphingomyelin levels in Parkinson’s disease. NPJ Parkinson's Disease, 10(1). [More Information]
  • da Cruz Rodrigues, K., Kim, S., Uner, A., Hou, Z., Young, J., Campolim, C., Aydogan, A., Chung, B., Choi, A., Yang, W., Kim, W., et al (2024). LRP1 in GABAergic neurons is a key link between obesity and memory function. Molecular Metabolism, 84. [More Information]
  • Yang, Y., Halliday, G., Naismith, S., Kim, W., Michaelian, J., Lewis, S., Phillips, C., D'Rozario, A., Chatterjee, P., Martins, R., Grunstein, R. (2024). Predicting neurodegeneration from sleep related biofluid changes. Neurobiology of Disease, 190, 106369. [More Information]

2023

  • Zhang, S., Dauer, K., Strohäker, T., Tatenhorst, L., Caldi Gomes, L., Mayer, S., Jung, B., Kim, W., Lee, S., Becker, S., et al (2023). Alpha-synuclein fibrils amplified from multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease patient brain spread after intracerebral injection into mouse brain. Brain Pathology, 33(5). [More Information]
  • Lok, H., Katzeff, J., Hodges, J., Piguet, O., Fu, Y., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2023). Elevated GRO-α and IL-18 in serum and brain implicate the NLRP3 inflammasome in frontotemporal dementia. Scientific Reports, 13(1). [More Information]
  • Youssef, P., Hughes, L., Kim, W., Halliday, G., Lewis, S., Cooper, A., Dzamko, N. (2023). Evaluation of plasma levels of NFL, GFAP, UCHL1 and tau as Parkinson's disease biomarkers using multiplexed single molecule counting. Scientific Reports, 13(1). [More Information]

2022

  • Chedid, J., Labradorgarrido, A., Zhong, S., Gao, J., Zhao, Y., Perera, G., Kim, W., Halliday, G., Dzamko, N. (2022). A small molecule toll-like receptor antagonist rescues α-synuclein fibril pathology. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 298(8). [More Information]
  • Fu, Y., Zhou, L., Li, H., Hsiao, T., Li, B., Tanglay, O., Auwyang, A., Wang, E., Feng, J., Kim, W., Halliday, G., et al (2022). Adaptive structural changes in the motor cortex and white matter in Parkinson’s disease. Acta Neuropathologica, 144(5), 861-879. [More Information]
  • Katzeff, J., Lok, H., Bhatia, S., Fu, Y., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2022). ATP-binding cassette transporter expression is widely dysregulated in frontotemporal dementia with TDP-43 inclusions. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 15. [More Information]

2021

  • Gregersen, E., Betzer, C., Kim, W., Kovacs, G., Reimer, L., Halliday, G., Thiel, S., Jensen, P. (2021). Alpha-synuclein activates the classical complement pathway and mediates complement-dependent cell toxicity. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 18(1), 177. [More Information]
  • Katzeff, J., Kim, W. (2021). ATP-binding cassette transporters and neurodegenerative diseases. Essays in Biochemistry, 65(7), 1013-1024. [More Information]
  • Youssef, P., Kim, W., Halliday, G., Lewis, S., Dzamko, N. (2021). Comparison of Different Platform Immunoassays for the Measurement of Plasma Alpha-Synuclein in Parkinson's Disease Patients. Journal of Parkinson's Disease, 11(4), 1761-1772. [More Information]

2020

  • Newman, M., Nik, H., Sutherland, G., Hin, N., Kim, W., Halliday, G., Jayadev, S., Smith, C., Laird, A., Lucas, C., et al (2020). Accelerated loss of hypoxia response in zebrafish with familial Alzheimer's disease-like mutation of presenilin 1. Human Molecular Genetics, 29(14), 2379-2394. [More Information]
  • Katzeff, J., Bright, F., Lo, K., Kril, J., Connolly, A., Crossett, B., Ittner, L., Kassiou, M., Loy, C., Hodges, J., Piguet, O., Kiernan, M., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2020). Altered serum protein levels in frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis indicate calcium and immunity dysregulation. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 13741. [More Information]
  • Phan, K., He, Y., Pickford, R., Bhatia, S., Katzeff, J., Hodges, J., Piguet, O., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2020). Uncovering pathophysiological changes in frontotemporal dementia using serum lipids. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 3640. [More Information]

2019

  • Bhatia, S., Kim, W., Shepherd, C., Halliday, G. (2019). Apolipoprotein D Upregulation in Alzheimer's Disease but Not Frontotemporal Dementia. Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, 67(1), 125-132. [More Information]
  • Lee, J., Kanai, K., Suzuki, M., Kim, W., Yoo, H., Kim, D., Fu, Y., Jung, B., Choi, M., Oh, K., Halliday, G., et al (2019). Arylsulfatase A, a genetic modifier of Parkinson's disease, is an alpha-synuclein chaperone. Brain, 142(9), 2845-2859. [More Information]
  • Forrest, S., Crockford, D., Sizemova, A., McCann, H., Shepherd, C., McGeachie, A., Affleck, A., Carew-Jones, F., Bartley, L., Kwok, J., Kim, W., Jary, E., Tan, R., McGinley, C., Piguet, O., Hodges, J., Kril, J., Halliday, G. (2019). Coexisting Lewy body disease and clinical parkinsonism in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Neurology, 92(21), e2472-e2482. [More Information]

2018

  • Kim, W., He, Y., Phan, K., Ahmed, R., Rye, K., Piguet, O., Hodges, J., Halliday, G. (2018). Altered high density lipoprotein composition in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 12, 847. [More Information]
  • Kim, W., Fu, Y., Dobson-Stone, C., Hsiao, J., Shang, K., Hallupp, M., Schofield, P., Garner, B., Karl, T., Kwok, J. (2018). Effect of Fluvoxamine on Amyloid-beta Peptide Generation and Memory. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 62(4), 1777-1787. [More Information]
  • Ahmed, R., Highton-Williamson, E., Caga, J., Thornton, N., Ramsey, E., Zoing, M., Kim, W., Halliday, G., Piguet, O., Hodges, J., Kiernan, M., et al (2018). Lipid Metabolism and Survival Across the Frontotemporal Dementia-Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Spectrum: Relationships to Eating Behavior and Cognition. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 61(2), 773-783. [More Information]

2017

  • Hsiao, T., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2017). (alpha)-Synuclein regulates neuronal cholesterol efflux. Molecules, 22(10), 1-8. [More Information]
  • Bhatia, S., Fu, Y., Hsiao, T., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2017). Deletion of Alzheimer's Disease Risk Gene ABCA7 Alters White Adipose Tissue Development and Leptin Levels. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, 1, 237-247. [More Information]
  • Tan, R., Yang, Y., Kim, W., Dobson-Stone, C., Kwok, J., Kiernan, M., Halliday, G. (2017). Distinct TDP-43 inclusion morphologies in frontotemporal lobar degeneration with and without amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 5(76), 1-7. [More Information]

2016

  • Fu, Y., Hsiao, J., Paxinos, G., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2016). ABCA7 Mediates Phagocytic Clearance of Amyloid-(beta) in the Brain. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 54(2), 569-584. [More Information]
  • Rusznák, Z., Henskens, W., Schofield, E., Kim, W., Fu, Y. (2016). Adult neurogenesis and gliogenesis: Possible mechanisms for neurorestoration. Experimental Neurobiology, 25(3), 103-112. [More Information]
  • Bleasel, J., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2016). Animal modeling an oligodendrogliopathy - multiple system atrophy. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 4(1), 1-15. [More Information]

2015

  • Fu, Y., Hsiao, J., Paxinos, G., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2015). ABCA5 Regulates amyloid-beta peptide production and is associated with Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 43(3), 857-869. [More Information]
  • Rusznak, Z., Kim, W., Hsiao, J., Halliday, G., Paxinos, G., Fu, Y. (2015). Early in vivo effects of the human mutant amyloid-? protein precursor (hA?PPSwInd) on the mouse olfactory bulb. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 49(2), 443-457. [More Information]
  • Coupland, K., Kim, W., Halliday, G., Hallupp, M., Dobson-Stone, C., Kwok, J. (2015). Effect of PSEN1 mutations on MAPT methylation in early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Current Alzheimer Research, 12(8), 745-751. [More Information]

2014

  • Fu, Y., Rusznak, Z., Kwok, J., Kim, W., Paxinos, G. (2014). Age-Dependent Alterations of the Hippocampal Cell Composition and Proliferative Potential in the hA-Beta-PPSwInd-J20 Mouse. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 41(4), 1177-1192. [More Information]
  • Kim, W., Kagedal, K., Halliday, G. (2014). Alpha-synuclein biology in Lewy body diseases. Alzheimer's Research and Therapy, 6(1), 1-9. [More Information]
  • Don, A., Hsiao, J., Bleasel, J., Couttas, T., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2014). Altered lipid levels provide evidence for myelin dysfunction in multiple system atrophy. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 2(1), 1-14. [More Information]

2013

  • Kim, W., Hsiao, J., Bhatia, S., Glaros, E., Don, A., Tsuruoka, S., Weickert, C., Halliday, G. (2013). ABCA8 stimulates sphingomyelin production in oligodendrocytes. Biochemical Journal, 452(3), 401-410. [More Information]
  • Kim, W., Li, H., Ruberu, K., Chan, S., Elliott, D., Low, J., Cheng, D., Karl, T., Garner, B. (2013). Deletion of Abca7 Increases Cerebral Amyloid-Beta Accumulation in the J20 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(10), 4387-4394. [More Information]
  • Hsiao, J., Fu, Y., Hill, A., Halliday, G., Kim, W. (2013). Elevation in Sphingomyelin Synthase Activity Is Associated with Increases in Amyloid-Beta Peptide Generation. PloS One, 8(8), 1-10. [More Information]

2012

  • Kim, W., Halliday, G. (2012). Changes in sphingomyelin level affect alpha-synuclein and ABCA5 expression. Journal of Parkinson's Disease, 2(1), 41-46. [More Information]
  • Karl, T., Bhatia, S., Cheng, D., Kim, W., Garner, B. (2012). Cognitive phenotyping of amyloid precursor protein transgenic J20 mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 228(2), 392-397. [More Information]
  • Elliott, D., Kim, W., Gorrisen, S., Halliday, G., Kwok, J. (2012). Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 and Alternative Splicing in Parkinson's Disease. Movement Disorders, 27(8), 1004-1011. [More Information]

2011

  • Elliott, D., Tsoi, K., Holinkova, S., Chan, S., Kim, W., Halliday, G., Rye, K., Garner, B. (2011). Isoform-specific proteolysis of apolipoprotein-E in the brain. Neurobiology of Aging, 32(2), 257-271. [More Information]
  • Cheng, D., Jenner, A., Shui, G., Cheong, W., Mitchell, T., Nealon, J., Kim, W., McCann, H., Wenk, M., Halliday, G., et al (2011). Lipid pathway alterations in parkinson's disease primary visual cortex. PloS One, 6(2), 1-17. [More Information]
  • Kim, W., Hill, A., Fitzgerald, M., Freeman, M., Evin, G., Garner, B. (2011). Wild Type and Tangier Disease ABCA1 Mutants Modulate Cellular Amyloid-Beta Production Independent of Cholesterol Efflux Activity. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 27(2), 441-452. [More Information]

2010

  • Li, H., Kim, W., Guillemin, G., Hill, A., Evin, G., Garner, B. (2010). Modulation of amyloid precursor protein processing by synthetic ceramide analogues. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 1801 (8), 887-895. [More Information]

2009

  • Kim, W., Chan, S., Hill, A., Guillemin, G., Garner, B. (2009). Impact of 27-hydroxycholesterol on amyloid-beta peptide production and ATP-binding cassette transporter expression in primary human neurons. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 16(1), 121-131. [More Information]

2008

  • Kim, W., Elliott, D., Kockx, M., Kritharides, L., Rye, K., Jans, D., Garner, B. (2008). Analysis of apolipoprotein E nuclear localization using green fluorescent protein and biotinylation approaches. Biochemical Journal, 409(3), 701-709. [More Information]
  • Chan, S., Kim, W., Kwok, J., Hill, A., Cappai, R., Rye, K., Garner, B. (2008). ATP-binding cassette transporter A7 regulates processing of amyloid precursor protein in vitro. Journal of Neurochemistry, 106(2), 793-804. [More Information]
  • Glaros, E., Kim, W., Quinn, C., Jessup, W., Rye, K., Garner, B. (2008). Myriocin slows the progression of established atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E gene knockout mice. Journal of Lipid Research, 49(2), 324-331. [More Information]

2007

  • Glaros, E., Kim, W., Wu, B., Suarna, C., Quinn, C., Rye, K., Stocker, R., Jessup, W., Garner, B. (2007). Inhibition of atherosclerosis by the serine palmitoyl transferase inhibitor myriocin is associated with reduced plasma glycosphingolipid concentration. Biochemical Pharmacology, 73(9), 1340-1346. [More Information]
  • Kim, W., Rahmanto, A., Kamili, A., Rye, K., Guillemin, G., Gelissen, I., Jessup, W., Hill, A., Garner, B. (2007). Role of ABCG1 and ABCA1 in Regulation of Neuronal Cholesterol Efflux to Apolipoprotein E Discs and Suppression of Amyloid- Peptide Generation. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 282, 2851-2861.

2006

  • Kim, W., Guillemin, G., Glaros, E., Lim, C., Garner, B. (2006). Quantitation of ATP-binding cassette subfamily-A transporter gene expression in primary human brain cells. NeuroReport, 17(9), 891-896. [More Information]
  • Kim, W., Rahmanto, A., Kamili, A., Rye, K., Guillemin, G., Gelissen, I., Jessup, W., Hill, A., Garner, B. (2006). Role of ABCG1 and ABCA1 in regulation of neuronal cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein-E discs and suppression of amyloid-beta peptide generation. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 282(5), 2851-2861. [More Information]

2005

  • Glaros, E., Kim, W., Quinn, C., Wong, J., Gelissen, I., Jessup, W., Garner, B. (2005). Glycosphingolipid accumulation inhibits cholesterol efflux via the ABCA1/apolipoprotein A-I pathway: 1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol is a novel cholesterol efflux accelerator. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280, 24515-24523.

Selected Grants

2022

  • Common and uncommon lipid dysregulation pathways in MSA and PD brain, Kim W, Fu Y, Dzamko N, Halliday G, Defeat MSA Alliance/Consortium Grant
  • Are oligodendrocytes the real source of pathologic alpha-synuclein in multiple system atrophy?, Fu Y, Halliday G, Kim W, Hsiao T, Defeat Multiple System Atrophy Australia and New Zealand LTD/Consortium Grant

2018

  • Mutations in genes causal of white matter disease and dys-regulation of lipid metabolism in frontotemporal dementias, Kwok J, Don A, Don A, Dobson-Stone C, Landin-Romero R, Kim W, Guennewig B, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)/Project Grants
  • Lipidomics analysis using serum and CSF from LRRK2-associated Parkinsons disease patients, Dzamko N, Kim W, Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research/Research Support

In the media

https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/voices/health/article/2016/07/26/pac-man-gene-implicated-alzheimers-disease