Yoon Seok Kim

EPFL SV IBI-SV UPKIM
AI 2149 (Bâtiment AI)
Station 19
1015 Lausanne

EPFL SV IBI-SV UPKIM
AI 2149 (Bâtiment AI)
Station 19
1015 Lausanne

Curriculum vitae

2025-present Assistant Professor of Life Science Engineering, EPFL
2021-2025 Postdoctoral Researcher in Neurology, Stanford University
  •     Advisor: Michelle Monje, MD., PhD

2014-2020 Ph.D. in Bioengineering, Stanford University
  •     Advisors: Karl Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D., and Brian Kobilka, M.D.
2010-2012 Military Service, South Korean Army
2007-2014 Combined B.S. and M.S. in Biology, Stanford University

Professionals experiences

Postdoctoral Researcher

Postdoctoral Researcher with Prof. Michelle Monje, MD, PhD, at Stanford Neurology

Education

Bioengineering

|

2014 – 2020 Stanford University
Directed by Karl Deisseroth, MD PhD & Brian Kobilka, MD

Biology

|

2013 – 2014 Stanford University
Directed by Thomas Sudhof, MD

Biology

| Military leave, from 2010 to 2012

2007 – 2014 Stanford University

Selected publications

Neuroligin-3 interaction with CSPG4 regulates normal and malignant glial precursors through mechanotransduction

Kim YS*#, Gillespie SM*, Geraghty AC, Yalçın B, Ivec AE, Yang A, Mancusi R, Hysinger J, Reed J, Drexler R, Quezada M, Malacon K, Woo P, Byun YG, Mount C, Lam M, Pan Y, Zuchero JB, Trotter J, Monje M#
Published in Nature Neuroscience in 2025

Structural basis for ion selectivity in potassium-selective channelrhodopsins

Tajima S*, Kim YS*, Fukuda M, Jo YJ, Wang PY, Paggi JM, Inoue M, Byrne EFX, Kishi KE, Nakamura S, Ramakrishnan C, Takaramoto S, Nagata T, Konno M, Sugiura M, Katayama K, Matsui TE, Yamashita K, Kim S, Ikeda H, Kim J, Kandori H, Dror RO, Inoue K, Deisseroth K#, Kato HE#
Published in Cell in 2023

Structural basis for channel conduction in the pump-like channelrhodopsin ChRmine

Kishi KE*, Kim YS*, Fukuda M*, Inoue M*, Kusakizako T*, Wang PY*, Ramakrishnan C, Byrne EFX, Thadhani E, Paggi JM, Matsui TE, Yamashita K, Nagata T, Konno M, Quirin S, Lo M, Benster T, Uemura T, Liu K, Shibata M, Nomura N, Iwata S, Nureki O, Dror RO, Inoue K, Deisseroth K#, Kato HE#
Published in Cell in 2022

Comprehensive dual- and triple-feature intersectional single-vector delivery of diverse functional payloads to cells of behaving mammals

Fenno LE*, Ramakrishnan C*, Kim YS*, Evans KE, Lo M, Vesuna S, Inoue M, Cheung KYM, Yuen E, Pichamoorthy N, Hong A and Deisseroth K
Published in Neuron in 2020

Genetically-targeted Chemical Assembly of Functional Materials in Living Cells, Tissues and Animals

Liu J*, Kim YS*, Richardson C*, Tom A*, Ramakrishnan C, Birey F, Katsumata T, Chen S, Wang C, Wang X, Joubert L, Jiang Y, Wang H, Fenno LE, Tok JBH, Pasca SP, Bao Z# and Deisseroth K#
Published in Science in 2020

Cortical Layer-specific Critical Dynamics Triggering Perception

Marshel JH*, Kim YS*, Machado TA*, Quirin S*, Benson B, Kadmon J, Raja C, Chibukhchyan A, Ramakrishnan C, Inoue M, Shane JC, McKnight DJ, Yoshizawa S, Kato HE, Ganguli S and Deisseroth K
Published in Science in 2019

Crystal structure of the natural anion-conducting channelrhodopsin GtACR1

Kim YS*, Kato HE*#, Yamashita K, Ito S, Inoue K, Ramakrishnan C, Fenno LE, Evans KE, Paggi JM, Dror RO, Kandori H, Kobilka BK and Deisseroth K#
Published in Nature in 2018

Structural mechanisms of selectivity and gating in anion channelrhodopsins

Kato HE*#, Kim YS*, Paggi JM, Evans KE, Allen WE, Richardson C, Inoue K, Ito S, Ramakrishnan C, Fenno LE, Yamashita K, Hilger D, Lee SY, Berndt A, Shen K, Kandori H, Dror RO, Kobilka BK and Deisseroth K#
Published in Nature in 2018

Research

Current Research Fields

Our lab integrates structural and functional studies, protein engineering, and cell/molecular biology to address fundamental and translational challenges in neuroscience. By combining expertise across molecular biology, protein and chemical engineering, and neurobiology, we strive to develop cutting-edge solutions for pressing neurobiological questions, including optogenetics and cancer neuroscience.

Teaching & PhD

PhD Students

Zeynep Defne Lüleci

Courses

Biology and engineering of membrane signaling

BIO-314

This course introduces the basic biology of cell membranes and membrane proteins, and explains how they control communication between cells and their environment. Students will also learn how membrane proteins are studied and engineered in modern biology and bioengineering.