SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
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Professor
Professor
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Kwan Soo Ko
Kwan Soo Ko PhD
| Graduate Program | Infection and Immunity |
| Research Area | Antimicrobial Resistance |
| Laboratory | Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogen Research Lab Laboratory |
| ksko@skku.edu | |
| Tel | +82-31-299-6223 |
Education & Careers
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2007-Present Professor, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
2000-2007 Chief Research Associate, Asia Pacific Foundation for Infectious Diseases (APFID), Seoul, Korea
2000-2003 Post-doc, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
1996-2000 PhD, Department of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
1994-1996 MS, Department of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
1990-1994 BS, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Research Interest
The target bacteria that we are studying are Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter sp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and we’ve been conducting research on colistin and carbapenem resistance against those target bacteria. Especially, I’m anticipating the results from research such as the colistin-dependent A. baumannii, the reversal mechanism of colistin resistance in P. aeruginosa, persisters in A. baumannii and the various pathways to colistin resistance in K. pneumoniae. However, the results do not always draw from what was expected. I keep thinking about the fact that really beneficial and important research can come out from anywhere. That is why the minor studies that graduate students are conducting, which look as if they are not very important, can produce incredible results later. I hope that my research can help researchers in this field to understand antibiotic resistance mechanisms. A firm understanding of the mechanism can postpone the emergence of antibiotic resistance and prevent the bacteria from spreading. Also the development of new classes of antibiotics is essential. It is impossible to know how much I can contribute to this research field, but I will keep doing my research as if I’m laying down the stepping stones towards a major discovery.
Representative Research Achievements
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1. In Young Na,† Jungyu Seo,† Yanhong Jin, Kwan Soo Ko*, 2024: Whole-plasmid analysis of NDM-1-producing Acinetobacter seifertii isolate and its fitness in several Acinetobacter species. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 38, 223-226 (Corresponding)
2. Shin JH, Shin D, Kwon KT, Ko KS*, 2024: Colistin heteroresistance in Citrobacter freundii clinical isolates from Republic of Korea. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 108(4), 116187 (Corresponding)
3. Sun Ju Kim,† Jeongwoo Jo,† Jihyeon Kim, Kwan Soo Ko,* Wonsik Lee.*, 2024: Polymyxin B nonapeptide potentiates the eradication of Gram-negative bacterial persisters. Microbiology Spectrum, 12(4), e0368723 (Co-corresponding)
4. Seo J, Ko KS*, 2024: Development of colistin resistance via heteroresistance modeling in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Precision and Future Medicine, 8(1), 10-18
5. Baek JY, Yang J, Ko JH, Cho SY, Huh K, Chung DR, Peck KR, Ko KS*, Kang CI*, 2024: Extensively drug-resistant Enterobacter ludwigii co-harboring mcr-9 and a multicopy of blaIMP-1 in South Korea. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 36(3), 217-222 (Co-
corresponding)
6. Seo J,† Na IY,† Ko KS*, 2024: Antibiotic efficacy in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae under nutrient limitation and effectiveness of colistin-based antibiotic combinations to eradicate persister cells. Current Microbiology, 81(1), 34 (Corresponding)
7. Park S, Choi J, Shin D, Kwon KT, Kim SH, Wi YM, Ko KS*, 2024: Conversion to colistin susceptibility by tigecycline exposure in colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and its implications to combination therapy. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 63(1), 107017 (Corresponding)
8. Kim SJ, Shin JH, Kim H, Ko KS*, 2024: Roles of crrAB two-component regulatory system in Klebsiella pneumoniae: Growth yield, survival in initial colistin treatment stage, and virulence. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 63, 107011 (Corresponding)
9. Jong Hyun Shin, Sun Ju Kim, Gwanghun Kim, Hang-Rae Kim, and Kwan Soo Ko*., 2024: Machine learning using template-based-predicted structure of haemagglutinin predicts pathogenicity of avian influenza. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Accepted (Corresponding)
10. Jihyun Choi,† Jong Hyun Shin,† Suyeon Park, Ji Young Choi, Jin Yang Baek, Kyungmin Huh, Doo Ryeon Chung, Ki Tae Kwon, Mi-Ran Seo, Seung-Hyun Jung, Yeun-Jun Chung, Kwan Soo Ko*, 2024: Phylogenetic analysis based on whole genome sequences, antibiotic resistance, and virulence of Salmonella enterica clinical isolates from South Korea. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, Accepted (Corresponding)
11. Jo J, Lee JY, Cho H, Ko KS*, 2023: Treatment of colistin dependence-developing Acinetobacter baumannii with antibiotic combinations at subinhibitory concentrations. Microbial Drug Resistance, 29(10), 448-455 (Corresponding)
12. Kim SJ, Jo J, Ko KS*, 2023: Lipid A modification-induced colistin-resistant Klebsiella variicola from healthy adults. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 72(6), 001680 (Corresponding)
13. Jo J, Kwon KT, Ko KS*, 2023: Multiple heteroresistance to tigecycline and colistin in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates and its implications for combined antibiotic treatment. Journal of Biomedical Science, 30, 37 (Corresponding)
14. Jo J, Park W, Kweon DH, Ko KS*, 2023: Development mechanism of resistant population post-exposure to tigecycline in tigecycline-heteroresistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 61(4), 106739 (Corresponding)
15. Kim SY, Seo HW, Park MS, Park CM, Seo J, Rho J, Myung S, Ko KS, Kim JS, Ryu CM, 2023: Exploitation of a novel adjuvant for polymyxin B against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 78(4), 923-932 (Co-author)
16. Cho YY, Ko KS*, 2023: ColE-type plasmid bearing blaOXA-232 increases persister cell formation. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 32(3), 113-117 (Corresponding)
17. Park S, Ko KS*, 2023: Improvement of transformation efficency in hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae using citric acid. Journal of Microbiological Methods, 205, 106673 (Corresponding)
18. Park S, Kim H, Ko KS*, 2023: Reduced virulence in tigecycline-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae caused by overexpression of ompR and down-regulation of ompK35. Journal of Biomedical Science, 30, 22 (Corresponding)
19. Michidmaral Ganbold, Jungyu Seo, Yu Mi Wi, Ki Tae Kwon, Kwan Soo Ko*, 2023: Species identification, antibiotic resistance, and virulence in Enterobacter cloacae complex clinical isolates from South Korea. Frontiers in Microbiology, 14, 1122691 (Corresponding)
20. Seok H,† Choi JY,† Ganbold M, Shin JH, Kim J, Choi WS, Park DW, Ko KS*, 2023: Re-identification and characterization of multidrug-resistant Corynebacterium haemomassiliense-like organisms from humans. Current Microbiology, 80(2), 82 (Corresponding)
21. Kim H, Kim JH, Cho HB, Ko KS*, 2022: Overexpression of a DNA methyltransferase increases persister cell formation in Acinetobacter baumannii. Microbiology Spectrum, 10(6), e0265522 (Corresponding)
22. Cho YY*, Kim JH*, Kim H, Lee J, Im SJ*, Ko KS*, 2022: Comparison of Virulence between Two Main Clones (ST11 and ST307) of Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from South Korea. Microorganisms, 10, 1827 (Corresponding)
23. Kim SJ, Cho H*, Ko KS*, 2022: Comparative analysis of the colistin resistance-regulating gene cluster in Klebsiella species. Journal of Microbiology, 60(5), 461-468 (Corresponding)
24. Lee H, Ko KS*, 2021: Effect of multiple, compatible plasmids on the fitness of the bacterial host by inducing transcriptional changes. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 76(10), 2528&82112537 (Corresponding
25. Na IY, Kwon KT, Ko KS*, 2021: Plasmids carrying blaVIM-2 in Acinetobacter nosocomialis and A. seifertii isolates from South Korea. Microbial Drug Resistance, 27(9), 1186-1189 (Corresponding)
26. Jo J, Ko KS*, 2021: Tigecycline heteroresistance and resistance mechanism in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii. Microbiology Spectrum, 9, e01010-21 (Corresponding)
27. Kim JH, Cho YY, Choi JY, Wi YM, Ko KS*, 2021: Two distinct genotypes of KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from South Korea. Antibiotics, 10, 911 (Corresponding)
28. Seo J, Wi YM, Kim JM, Kim YJ, Ko KS*, 2021: Detection of colistin-resistant populations prior to antibiotic exposure in KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates. Journal of Microbiology, 59(6), 590-597 (Corresponding)
29. Jo J, Kim S, Ko KS*, 2021: High concentrations of divalent cations in extracellular environments reduce in vitro antibiotic activity of tigecycline. Journal of Bacteriology and Virology, 51(2), 74-78 (Corresponding)
30. Baek JY,† Kim SJ,† Shin J, Chung YJ, Kang CI, Chung DR, Song JH, Ko KS*, 2021: Genome-wide analysis of the temporal genetic changes in Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates of genotype ST320 and serotype 19A from South Korea. Microorganisms, 9(4), 795
(Corresponding)
31. Park S†, Lee H†, Shin D, Ko KS*. Change of hypermucoviscosity in the development of tigecycline resistance in hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae Sequence Type 23 strains. Microorganisms 2020 8:1562.
32. Hong YK†, Kim H†, Ko KS*. Two types of colistin heteroresistance in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. Emerging Microbes & Infections 2020 9(1): 2114-2123.
33. Choi Y, Lee JY, Lee H, Park M, Kang KJ, Lim SK, Shin D, Ko KS*. Comparison of fitness cost and virulence in chromosome- and plasmid-mediated colistin-resistant Escherichia coli. Frontiers in Microbiology 2020 11:798.
34. Baek MS, Chung ES, Jung DS, Ko KS*. Effect of colistin-based antibiotic combinations on the eradication of persister cells in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2020 75(4):917-924.
35. Lee H, Shin J, Chung YJ, Park M, Kang KJ, Baek JY, Shin D, Chung DR, Peck KR, Song JH, Ko KS*. Co-introduction of plasmids harbouring the carbapenemase genes, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-232, increases fitness and virulence of bacterial host. Journal of Biomedical Science
2020 27:8.
36. Hae Suk Cheong, So Yeon Kim, Yu Mi Yi, Kyong Ran Peck, Kwan Soo Ko*. Colistin heteroresistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and diverse mutations of PmrAB and PhoPQ in resistant subpopulations. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2019 8(9):1444.
37. Lee JY, Lee H, Park M, Cha CJ, Shin D Ko KS*. Lytic transglycosylase contributes to the survival of lipooligosaccharide (LOS)-deficient, colistin-dependent Acinetobacter baumannii. Clinical Microbiology and Infection 2019 25(9):1156.e1&82111156.e7.
38. Lee H, Shin J, Chung YJ, Baek JY, Chung DR, Peck KR, Song JH, Ko KS*. Evolution of Klebsiella pneumoniae with mucoid and non-mucoid type colonies within a single patient. International Journal of Medical Microbiology 2019 309:194-198.
39. Chung ES, Ko KS*. Eradication of persister cells of Acinetobacter baumannii through combination of colistin and amikacin antibiotics. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2019 74(5):1277-1283.
40. Kim SY, Ko KS*. Effects of prophage regions in a plasmid carrying a carbapenemase gene on survival against antibiotic stress. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 2019 53(1):89-94.
41. Kim SJ, Ko KS*. Diverse genetic alterations responsible for post-exposure colistin resistance in populations of the same strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 2018 52(3):425-429.
42. Kim J, Lee JY, Lee H, Choi JY, Kim DH, Wi YM, Peck KR, Ko KS*. Microbiological features and clinical impact of the type VI secretion system (T6SS) in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates causing bacteremia. Virulence 2017 8(7):1378-1389.