Dr. Hyeonji Kim

Biography

Hyeonji Kim is a translational bioprinting researcher specializing in tissue engineering and ocular regenerative medicine. Holding a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, her research focuses on developing innovative therapeutic platforms for ocular diseases using 3D bioprinting, biomanufacturing, and regenerative medicine. Dr. Kim has developed 3D-bioprinted corneal stromal constructs that replicate native collagen alignment to achieve transparency, successfully restoring visual function in preclinical beagle models and subsequent veterinary clinical applications. She has advanced simplified in situ corneal therapy, completed veterinary clinical trials, and is licensed for anticipated human trials. Currently, Dr. Kim is developing ocular therapeutic implants using advanced 3D printing approaches. She has collaborated with regulatory authorities and preclinical evaluation agencies to define guidelines for 3D-printed combination medical devices and conduct safety testing for bioprinted corneas. Her work has been internationally recognized, contributing to her university's ranking of 12th in Reuters’ 2019 “Top 100 Innovative Universities,” and spans areas such as drug delivery, diagnostic and therapeutic devices, personalized medicine, and translational ophthalmology. Her long-term vision is to engineer personalized therapeutic implants through biofabrication technologies that bridge fundamental science and clinical translation, initially focusing on restoring vision and ultimately expanding regenerative therapies across multiple organ systems.

Research Interests

Experience