Overview
Dr. Kwun is currently the Director of Transplant Basic Science Research at the Duke Transplant Center.
Research interests include humoral tolerance to organ transplants in animal model and humans, developing a clinically relevant animal model to study the mechanisms of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), and establishing a conceptual basis that will translate into therapeutic intervention of AMR.
Research interests include humoral tolerance to organ transplants in animal model and humans, developing a clinically relevant animal model to study the mechanisms of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), and establishing a conceptual basis that will translate into therapeutic intervention of AMR.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Associate Professor in Surgery
·
2023 - Present
Surgery, Abdominal Transplant Surgery,
Surgery
Associate Professor of Pathology
·
2023 - Present
Pathology,
Clinical Science Departments
Recent Publications
CD154 blockade effectively controls antibody-mediated rejection in highly sensitized nonhuman primate kidney transplant recipients.
Journal Article Sci Transl Med · January 2025 Current desensitization and maintenance immunosuppression regimens for kidney transplantation in sensitized individuals show limited ability to control the posttransplant humoral response, resulting in high rates of antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) and g ... Full text Link to item CiteAn IgM Cleaving Enzyme for Clearance of Anti-Pig Xenoreactive Antibodies in a Nonhuman Primate Model.
Journal Article Xenotransplantation · 2025 BACKGROUND: The removal of preformed antibodies with cleaving enzyme like IdeS (Imlifidase) has demonstrated therapeutic potential in organ transplantation for sensitized recipients. However, preformed xenoreactive antibodies (XAbs) against porcine glycans ... Full text Link to item CiteAn IgM Cleaving Enzyme for Clearance of Anti-Pig Xenoreactive Antibodies in a Nonhuman Primate Model.
Journal Article Xenotransplantation · 2025 BACKGROUND: The removal of preformed antibodies with cleaving enzymes like IdeS (imlifidase) has demonstrated therapeutic potential in organ transplantation for sensitized recipients. However, preformed xenoreactive antibodies (XAbs) against porcine glycan ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Overcoming humoral rejection after xenotransplantation in sensitized nonhuman primate recipients
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 2023 - 2028Overcoming humoral rejection following xenotransplantation via targeting complement C3
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 2023 - 2025The impact of targeting CD40-CD154 pathway in nonhuman primate vascularized composite allograft model
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2025View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
University of Wisconsin, Madison ·
2007
Ph.D.