Prof. Dr. Kwan Mook Kim | Biomolecule Recognition | Research Excellence Award

Ewha Womans University | South Korea

Prof. Dr. Kwan Mook Kim is a distinguished scholar in chemistry and nanosciences whose work spans inorganic chemistry, supramolecular sensing, chiroptical materials, and bioinspired photochemical systems. His research integrates molecular design, stereodynamic interactions, and functional nanomaterials to advance highly selective chemical recognition and optoelectronic applications. He has made notable contributions to enantioselective liquid–liquid extraction, supramolecular chirality induction, fluorescent and optical sensing mechanisms, and the development of BODIPY-like chromophores generated through in situ reactions. His group has also explored amino acid discrimination, chiral imprinting, and dual-mode fluorescent sensing platforms with high specificity and tunable photophysical behavior. More recently, his work has extended to biomedical interfaces, such as the transformation of albumin into photosensitizers for tumor-targeted photodynamic therapy and the targeting of oncogenic pathways using small-molecule inhibitors. These interdisciplinary advances reflect his strong focus on bridging synthetic chemistry with practical applications in analytical detection, optical materials, and therapeutic strategies. His scientific impact is demonstrated by 3,091 Scopus citations across 2,634 documents, supported by 91 publications and an h-index of 27, indicating sustained influence and high recognition in the global research community. His scholarship consistently advances molecular-level insight while enabling novel chemical tools with translational potential in sensing, catalysis, and biomedicine.

Profiles : Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications :

Kim, K. M., et al. (2025). Conversion of albumin into a BODIPY-like photosensitizer by a flick reaction, tumor accumulation and photodynamic therapy. Biomaterials.

Kim, K. M., et al. (2023). Targeting BAP1 with small compound inhibitor for colon cancer treatment. Scientific Reports.

Kim, K. M., et al. (2022). Remarkable enantioselectivity enhancement of the extractors with nonaxial chirality in liquid–liquid extraction of underivatized amino acids by introducing t-butyl group. Chirality.

Kim, K. M., et al. (2021). Enantioselective extraction of unprotected amino acids coupled with racemization. Nature Communications.

Kim, K. M., et al. (2020). Optical and fluorescent dual sensing of aminoalcohols by in situ generation of BODIPY-like chromophore. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.