Guim Kwon, PhD
Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Phone: 618-650-5149
Fax: 618-650-5145
Email: gkwon@siue.edu
Pharmacology
B.S., 1986, University of Michigan
Ph.D., 1992, University of Michigan
Postdoctoral, 1992-1997, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Research Instructor, 1998-2005, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Biography
Dr. Guim Kwon is a professor of pharmaceutical sciences. She received her BS in cellular molecular biology in 1986 and her PhD in 1992 from the University of Michigan. Dr. Kwon had her postdoctoral training in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine. She joined the School of Pharmacy in 2005. Her research areas include understanding the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes, designing and validating an implantation model for ß-cell replacement therapy, and developing control algorithms for a closed-loop artificial pancreas.
Research
My research interests focus on providing strategies for therapeutic intervention for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. I have three on-going projects including 1) understanding the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes, 2) designing and validating an implantation model for ß-cell replacement therapy, and 3) developing control algorithms for a closed-loop artificial pancreas described below.
1. Study of efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin as an add-on therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Dapagliflozin is a highly potent, reversible and selective sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that blocks reabsorption of glucose in the proximal renal tubule. It belongs to a new class of hypoglycemic agent for type 2 diabetes. Due to its unique mechanism of action that does not interfere with insulin secretion or action, it has been under investigation as an adjunctive therapy for T1DM patients. However, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is one of its prominent unwanted adverse effects that concerns safety. To this end, we are currently studying the effects of dapagliflozin on glycemic control in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, especially focusing on its effects on DKA and various organs including pancreas, kidney, and heart.
2. A deep learning-based closed-loop artificial pancreas system for unannounced meals and exercise
A closed-loop artificial pancreas is a technology under investigation to help controlling blood glucose levels automatically in type 1 diabetic patients, replacing the endocrine functionality of the pancreas. The artificial pancreas is composed of an insulin pump, a continuous glucose monitoring sensor (CGM), and a control algorithm that processes the input from the CGM, determines appropriate amounts of insulin, and commands the delivery of insulin through the insulin pump. We have successfully developed a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model with an open-loop artificial pancreas. In collaboration with faculties in Industrial Engineering at SIUE, we are currently working on developing control algorithms to advance it to a closed-loop artificial pancreas.
Figure 1. A and B: Islets of Langerhans isolated from healthy and diabetic rats, respectively. Streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) injection destroys insulin-secreting ß-cells. Red: insulin, Green, glucagon, Blue: nuclei C. A schematic diagram of an artificial pancreas system. D. A Nightscout image of blood glucose levels (green, yellow, red dots) and insulin infusion rates (blue boxes) of a diabetic rat controlled by Open-APS.
Recent Publications
1. Johns, M., Abadi, S. E. M., Malik, N., Lee, J. J., Neumann, W. L., Rausaria, S., Imani-Nejad, M., McPherson, T., Schober, J., Kwon, G. (2016) Oral Administration of SR-110, a Peroxynitrite Decomposing Catalyst, Enhances Glucose Homeostasis, Insulin Signaling, and Islet Architecture in B6D2F1 Mice Fed a High Fat Diet. Arch Biochem Biophys 596: 126-37
2. Brenner, M., Abadi, S. E. M., Balouchzadeh, R., Lee, H. F., Ko, H. S., Johns, M., Malik, N., Lee, J. J., Kwon, G. (2017) Estimation of insulin secretion, glucose uptake by tissues, and liver handling of glucose using a mathematical model of glucose-insulin homeostasis in lean and obese mice. Heliyon 3: e00310
3. Knobeloch, T., Abadi, S. E. M., Bruns, J., Zustiak, S., Kwon, G. (2017) Injectable polyethylene glycol hydrogel for islet encapsulation. Biomedical Physics & Engineering Express 3: e035022
4. Bahremand, S., Ko, H. S., Balouchzadeh, R., Lee, H. F., Park, S., Kown, G. (2019) Neural network-based model predictive control for type 1 diabetic rats on artificial pancreas system. Medical &Biological Engineering & Computing 57(1): 177-191
5. Ko, H. S., Balouchzadeh, R., Uzun, G., Lee, H. F., Park, S., Kwon, G. (2019) Model predictive control of blood glucose for type 1 diabetic rats in a cyber-physical system. Procedia Manufacturing, 39: 341-348
6. Abadi, S. E. M., Balouchzadeh, R., Uzun, G., Ko, H. S., Lee, H. F., Park, S., Kwon, G. (2020) Tracking changes of the parameters of glucose-insulin homeostasis during the course of obesity in B6D2F1 mice. Heliyon 6: e03251
7. Kirilmaz, O. B., Salegaonkar, A. R., Shiau, J., Uzun, G., Ko, H. S., Lee, H. F., Park, S., Kwon G. (2021) Study of blood glucose and insulin infusion rate in real-time in diabetic rats using an artificial pancreas system. Plos One pone. 0254718
8. Kirilmaz, O. B., Mahdavi, M., Ko, H. S., Lee, H. F., Park, S., Kwon, G. (2022) A customized artificial pancreas system with neural network-based model predictive control for type 1 diabetic rats. J Diabetes Clin Res 4: 1-9
