University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · BiologyCholangiocarcinoma Discovery Lab
Sungjin Ko · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
The research lab led by Dr. Sungjin Ko focuses on cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a challenging cancer with low survival rates. They investigate how certain receptors in the liver, specifically the Farnesoid X-Activated Receptor (FXR) and Constitutive Androstane Receptor (CAR), contribute to the development of CCA, especially in patients with cholestatic diseases. The lab aims to find biomarkers for early detection and develop new therapies to improve treatment outcomes for patients with this aggressive form of cancer.
cholangiocarcinomaimmune surveillanceFarnesoid X-Activated ReceptorConstitutive Androstane Receptorcholestatic diseasesbiomarkerscancer therapymolecular mechanismstumor microenvironment
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the roles of FXR and/or CAR in the transformation of hepatocytes to cholangiocarcinoma.
AIM 02Elucidate how FXR/CAR regulates immune surveillance in cholangiocarcinoma.
AIM 03Determine molecular mechanisms by which FXR and/or CAR influence cholangiocarcinoma development.
Skills the Lab Values
gene editingimmunotherapy techniquespharmacogeneticsanimal modelingcell cultureRNA sequencingChIP-seqdata analysisbiological marker identificationtumor microenvironment profiling
Output against the department
Publications87bottom 28% of dept.743rd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.8kbottom 11% of dept.916th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.