Narry Kim is a molecular cell biologist renowned for her research in microRNA and RNA modification. Dr Kim and her group elucidated the microRNA biogenesis pathway and identified key biogenesis factors including RNA polymerase II, DROSHA, DGCR8, LIN28, and terminal uridyltransferases. In parallel, the Kim lab has discovered noncanonical RNA tailing reactions which control microRNAs and mRNAs, particularly in the context of stem cells, embryonic development, tumorigenesis, and viral infection. Kim also made contributions by developing many biochemical and genomic techniques for RNA analyses.
Dr Kim is Distinguished Professor at Seoul National University and the founding Director of RNA Research Center at Institute for Basic Science. She received her BSc from Seoul National University (1992) and DPhil from Oxford University (1998) and undertook postdoctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2001, she relocated to Korea, making a transition to microRNA biology. She is a recipient of the L'Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award (2007), Hoam Prize (2009), Korean Scientist Award (2013), and Asan Prize (2019). She has served on editorial boards of Cell, Science, Molecular Cell, Genes Dev, EMBO J, and Phil Trans B, and was elected to EMBO, Korean Academy of Science and Technology, and the US National Academy of Sciences.
Professional position
- Director, Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science
- Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University
