Kyung-Don Kang PhD
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatrics
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2012 | Iwate University, JP, Virology, Doctor of Philosophy |
| 2004 | University of California - Davis, Davis, California, US, Microbiology, Master of Science |
| 1999 | The University of Suwon, KR, Master of Science |
| 1997 | The University of Suwon, KR, Bachelor of Science |
Postgraduate Training
| 2017-2018 | Postgraduate Fellow, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama |
| 2013-2017 | Postgraduate Fellow, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama |
Experience & Service
Other Professional Positions
Member, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, 2022 - 2023
Scientist I, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 2021 - 2023
Research V, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 2019 - 2021
Senior Researcher, Biotopia Co., Ltd, 2004 - 2012
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Review of scholarly activity and the written work product, Scholarly oversight committee, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2022 - 2023
Review of scholarly activity and the written work product, Scholarly Oversight Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Editorial Activities
Associate Editor, Frontiers in Virology, 2025 - Present
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Scientific reports, Communications Medicine, Frontiers in Virology, 2024 - Present
Review Editor, Frontiers in cellular neuroscience, 2022 - Present
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2024. Immunovirotherapy with PP2A and PD-1 inhibition in pediatric high-grade glioma. Poster. 29th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. Houston, TX, US.
- 2024. Combination immunotherapy sequence matters: Vaccine prior to oncolytic HSV virotherapy enhances tumor-specific T cell responses and efficacy. Poster. 2024 ISPNO Conference. Philadelphia, PA, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2026 - 2031 |
| Title: | Phase 2 Trial of G207 for Children with High-Grade Gliomas |
| Funding Source: | National Institutes of Health |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | R01CA319301 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2029 |
| Title: | Intranasal Delivery of Oncolytic Virus in Diffuse Midline Glioma |
| Funding Source: | DOD |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | HT942525RCRPIDA |
| Date: | 2026 - 2029 |
| Title: | Intranasal Delivery of Oncolytic HSV in Pediatric Glioma |
| Funding Source: | DOD |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | HT942525PRCRPIA |
| Date: | 2026 - 2028 |
| Title: | Intranasal Delivery of Targeted Nanotherapeutics and Oncolytic Virus in Pediatric Glioma |
| Funding Source: | NDNDS/NIMH |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2026 - 2031 |
| Title: | Targeting Pediatric Brain Tumors with Oncolytic HSV and Cord Blood-Derived Double Knockout NK Cells (Project 3 of P01) |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | P01CA148600 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2029 |
| Title: | Phase 2 Trial of G207 for Children with High-Grade Gliomas |
| Funding Source: | CureSearch for Children's Cancer |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2026 - 2027 |
| Title: | Inducing Anti-Cancer Immunity in Pediatric High-Grade Glioma |
| Funding Source: | Hyundai Hope On Wheels Pediatric Cancer Research Funding |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Targeting RNF2 to synergize with oncolytic immunovirotherapy to induce anti-cancer immunity in medulloblastoma |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 1R01NS146081 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2029 |
| Title: | Maximizing the Anti-Tumor Immune Response in Pediatric High-Grade Glioma Through Immunovirotherapy and RNF2 Inhibition |
| Funding Source: | V Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2025 - 2029 |
| Title: | Targeting RNF2 to induce anti-cancer immunity and synergize with oncolytic HSV-1 in pediatric high- grade gliomas |
| Funding Source: | CANCER PREVENTION RESEARCH INST OF TX |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2025 - 2026 |
| Title: | Harnessing the immune modulatory role of statins and B7-H3 to enhance survival for pediatric LGG patients |
| Funding Source: | Lindonlight Collective |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2025 - 2026 |
| Title: | Targeting Pediatric Low-Grade Gliomas with Immunovirotherapy |
| Funding Source: | Lindonlight Collective |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2024 - 2025 |
| Title: | Tumor expressed epigenetic regulator RNF2 as a novel immunotherapeutic target for pediatric high-grade gliomas |
| Funding Source: | SPORE/NIH |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2024 - 2026 |
| Title: | Interrogation of Brain Tumor Immunophenotypes with Expansion Microscopy |
| Funding Source: | Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2023 - 2025 |
| Title: | Overcoming Immunotherapy Challenges in Pediatric Brain Tumors |
| Funding Source: | V Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Epigenetic modulation of STING immune signaling to potentiate oncolytic HSV |
| Funding Source: | NCI, Pediatric Immunotherapy Network U01 |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | U01CA281603 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | Overcoming the Adverse Microenvironment of Pediatric High-Grade Gliomas |
| Funding Source: | CureSearch for Children’s Cancer |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | Enhancement of Immunovirotherapy with Directed Drug Delivery for Treatment of Pediatric High-Grade Glioma |
| Funding Source: | Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | Enhancement of Oncolytic Virotherapy with Directed Drug Delivery for Pediatric Brain Tumors |
| Funding Source: | Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2022 - 2022 |
| Title: | Overcoming Immunotherapy Challenges to Target Leptomeningeal Disease |
| Funding Source: | National Pediatric Cancer Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | Overcoming Immunotherapy Challenges in Pediatric Brain Tumors |
| Funding Source: | V Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2021 - 2022 |
| Title: | Identifying Oncolytic Viral Therapy Resistance Mechanisms in Brain Tumors |
| Funding Source: | American Brain Tumor Association |
| Role: | Researcher |
| Date: | 2021 - 2022 |
| Title: | Identifying Oncolytic Viral Therapy Resistance Mechanisms in Brain Tumors |
| Funding Source: | Cure Starts Now |
| Role: | Researcher |
| Date: | 2019 - 2022 |
| Title: | Overcoming Myeloid Cell-Mediated Immunosuppression to Enhance Immunovirotherapy |
| Funding Source: | Hyundai Hope on Wheels |
| Role: | Researcher |
| Date: | 2019 - 2023 |
| Title: | Ph1 Study of HSV G207 in Pediatric Malignant Cerebellar Tumors IND 16294 01/05/18 |
| Funding Source: | National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Orphan Products Development |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | R01FD006368 |
| Date: | 2019 - 2023 |
| Title: | Phase 1 Trial of Engineered HSV G207 in Children with Malignant Cerebellar Brain Tumors |
| Funding Source: | Cannonball Kids cancer Foundation |
| Role: | Researcher |
| Date: | 2016 - 2017 |
| Title: | The unique roles of the GTP-binding/protein crosslinking enzyme transglutaminase-2 and signaling partners in aggressive cancers |
| Funding Source: | National Cancer Institute: Distribution from Cornell |
| Role: | Scholar |
| ID: | R01CA201402-02 |
| Date: | 2016 - 2018 |
| Title: | Underlying Mechanisms of ApoE in HCV Infection and Assembly |
| Funding Source: | National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Orphan Products Development |
| Role: | Scholar |
| ID: | R01AI097318-06 |
| Date: | 2013 - 2015 |
| Title: | Underlying Mechanisms of ApoE in HCV Infection and Assembly |
| Funding Source: | National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Orphan Products Development |
| Role: | Scholar |
| ID: | R01AI097318-03 |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Nazam N, Erwin MH, Julson JR, Quinn CH, Beierle AM, Bownes LV, Stewart JE, Kang KD, Butey S, Mroczek-Musulman E, Ohlmeyer M, Beierle EA. PP2A activation overcomes leptomeningeal dissemination in Group 3 medulloblastoma. J Biol Chem:107892, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39419284.
- Totsch SK, Ishizuka AS, Kang KD, Gary SE, Rocco A, Fan AE, Zhou L, Valdes PA, Lee S, Li J, Peruzzotti-Jametti L, Blitz S, Garliss CM, Johnston JM, Markert JM, Lynn GM, Bernstock JD, Friedman GK. Combination Immunotherapy with Vaccine and Oncolytic HSV Virotherapy Is Time Dependent. Mol Cancer Ther 23(9):1273-1281, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38710101.
- Zhang X, Duan S, Apostolou PE, Wu X, Watanabe J, Gallitto M, Barron T, Taylor KR, Woo PJ, Hua X, Zhou H, Wei HJ, McQuillan N, Kang KD, Friedman GK, Canoll PD, Chang K, Wu CC, Hashizume R, Vakoc CR, Monje M, McKhann GM 2nd, Gogos JA, Zhang Z. CHD2 Regulates Neuron-Glioma Interactions in Pediatric Glioma. Cancer Discov 14(9):1732-1754, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38767413.
- Thompson, EM, Kang, K, Stevenson, K, Zhang, H, Gromeier, M, Ashley, DM, Brown, MC, Friedman, GK. Elucidating cellular response to treatment with viral immunotherapies in pediatric high-grade glioma and medulloblastoma. Translational Oncology 40, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38183802.
- Bernstock, J, Blitz, SE, Kang, K, Friedman, GK. Intraventricular immunovirotherapy; a translational step forward. Oncotarget 14:40-43, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36634220.
- Kang, K, Bernstock, J, Totsch, SK, Gary, S, Rocco, A, Nan, L, Li, R, Etminan, T, Han, X, Beierle, EA, Eisemann, T, Wechsler-Reya, R, Bae, S, Whitley, RJ, Gillespie, GY, Markert, JM, Friedman, GK. Safety and Efficacy of Intraventricular Immunovirotherapy with Oncolytic HSV-1 for CNS Cancers. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 28(24):5419-5430, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36239623.
- Kang, K, Bernstock, J, Totsch, SK, Gary, S, Rocco, A, Nan, L, Li, R, Etminan, T, Han, X, Beierle, EA, Eisemann, T, Wechsler-Reya, R, Bae, S, Whitley, RJ, Gillespie, GY, Markert, JM, Friedman, GK. Safety and Efficacy of Intraventricular Immunovirotherapy with Oncolytic HSV-1 for CNS Cancers. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 28(24):5419-5430, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36239623.
- Friedman, GK, Johnston, JM, Bag, AK, Bernstock, J, Li, R, Aban, I, Kachurak, K, Nan, L, Kang, K, Totsch, SK, Schlappi, C, Martin, AM, Pastakia, D, McNall, RY, Sait, SF, Khakoo, Y, Karajannis, MA, Woodling, K, Palmer, JD, Osorio, DS, Leonard, JR, AbdelBaki, MS, Madan-Swain, A, Prescott Atkinson, T, Whitley, RJ, Fiveash, JB, Markert, JM. Oncolytic HSV-1 G207 immunovirotherapy for pediatric high-grade gliomas. New England Journal of Medicine 384(17):1613-1622, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33838625.
- Sadahiro, H, Kang, K, Gibson, JT, Minata, M, Yu, H, Shi, J, Chhipa, R, Chen, Z, Lu, S, Simoni, Y, Furuta, T, Sabit, H, Zhang, S, Bastola, S, Yamaguchi, S, Alsheikh, H, Komarova, S, Wang, J, Kim, SH, Hambardzumyan, D, Lu, X, Newell, E, Dasgupta, B, Nakada, M, Lee, LJ, Nabors, B, Norian, LA, Nakano, I. Activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL regulates the immune microenvironment in glioblastoma. Cancer Research 78(11):3002-3013, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29531161.
- Fan, H, Qiao, L, Kang, K, Fan, J, Wei, W, Luo, G. Attachment and postattachment receptors important for hepatitis C virus infection and cell-to-cell transmission. Journal of Virology 91(13), 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28404852.
- Tao J, Kang KD, Hall SD, Laube AH, Liu J, Renfrow MB, Novak J, Luo G. The Serum Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein Serves as a Restriction Factor against Hepatitis C Virus Infection. J Virol 89(13):6782-91, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25903344.
- Lim KH, Han JH, Lee JY, Park YS, Cho YS, Kang KD, Yuk WJ, Hwang KY, Seong SI, Kim B, Kwon J, Kang CW, Kim JH. Assessment of antidiabetogenic potential of fermented soybean extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Food Chem Toxicol 50(11):3941-8, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22943971.
- Nam Y, Jung H, Karuppasamy S, Lee JY, Kang KD, Hwang KY, Seong SI, Suh JG. Anti-hyperlipidemic effect of soybean extract fermented by Bacillus subtilis MORI in db/db mice. Lab Anim Res 28(2):123-9, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22787486.
- Kang KD, Cho YS, Song JH, Park YS, Lee JY, Hwang KY, Rhee SK, Chung JH, Kwon O, Seong SI. Identification of the genes involved in 1-deoxynojirimycin synthesis in Bacillus subtilis MORI 3K-85. J Microbiol 49(3):431-40, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21717329.
- Kang KD, Kamita SG, Suzuki K, Seong SI. Effect of starvation upon baculovirus replication in larval Bombyx mori and Heliothis virescens. J Invertebr Pathol 106(2):205-10, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 20850449.
- Kang KD, Jones PD, Huang H, Zhang R, Mostovich LA, Wheelock CE, Watanabe T, Gulyaeva LF, Hammock BD. Evaluation of alpha-cyano ethers as fluorescent substrates for assay of cytochrome P450 enzyme activity. Anal Biochem 344(2):183-92, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 16083846.
- McAbee RD, Kang KD, Stanich MA, Christiansen JA, Wheelock CE, Inman AD, Hammock BD, Cornel AJ. Pyrethroid tolerance in Culex pipiens pipiens var molestus from Marin County, California. Pest Manag Sci 60(4):359-68, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 15119598.
Review Articles
- Ghajar-Rahimi, G, Kang, K, Totsch, SK, Gary, S, Rocco, A, Blitz, SE, Kachurak, K, Chambers, MR, Li, R, Beierle, EA, Bag, AK, Johnston, JM, Markert, JM, Bernstock, J, Friedman, GK. Clinical advances in oncolytic virotherapy for pediatric brain tumors. Pharmacology and Therapeutics 239, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35487285.
- Bernstock, J, Kang, K, Klinger, NV, Olsen, HE, Gary, S, Totsch, SK, Ghajar-Rahimi, G, Segar, DJ, Thompson, EM, Darley-Usmar, V, Mott, BT, Peruzzotti-Jametti, L, Friedman, GK. Targeting oncometabolism to maximize immunotherapy in malignant brain tumors. Oncogene 41(19):2663-2671, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35430605.
- Bernstock, J, Hoffman, S, Kappel, AD, Valdes, PA, Essayed, WI, Klinger, NV, Kang, K, Totsch, SK, Olsen, HE, Schlappi, C, Filipski, K, Gessler, F, Baird, LC, Filbin, MG, Hashizume, R, Becher, O, Friedman, GK. Immunotherapy approaches for the treatment of diffuse midline gliomas. OncoImmunology 11(1), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36185807.
- Totsch, SK, Schlappi, C, Kang, K, Ishizuka, AS, Lynn, GM, Fox, B, Beierle, EA, Whitley, RJ, Markert, JM, Gillespie, GY, Bernstock, J, Friedman, GK. Oncolytic herpes simplex virus immunotherapy for brain tumors. Oncogene 38(34):6159-6171, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31289361.
Abstracts
- Kang KD, Frederico S, Fan A, Gary S, Zhang Z, Zhou L, Markert J, Bernstock J, Friedman G. EXTH-75. IMMUNOVIROTHERAPY WITH PP2A AND PD-1 INHIBITION IN PEDIATRIC HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA. Society of Nuero-Oncology 26, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Kang KD, Totsch SK, Ishizuka AS, Gary SE, Rocco A, Fan A, Zhou L, Valdes PA, Lee S, Li J, Peruzzotti-Jametti L, Blitz S, Garliss CM, Johnston JM, Markert JM, Lynn GM, Bernstock JD, Freidman GK. IMMU-19. COMBINATION IMMUNOTHERAPY SEQUENCE MATTERS: VACCINE PRIOR TO ONCOLYTIC HSV VIROTHERAPY ENHANCES TUMOR-SPECIFIC T CELL RESPONSES AND EFFICACY. International Symposium on Pediatric Neuro-Oncology 26, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Gary S, Laufer V, Tuy K, Kang KD, Oliva C, Griguer C, Hjelmeland A, Friedman GK. EXTH-12. CYTOCHROME C OXIDASE SUBUNIT 4 ISOFORM 1 MEDIATES ONCOLYTIC HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-1 EFFICACY IN HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA. Society for Neuro-Oncology 25, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Thompson E, Kang KD, Zhang H, Brown M, Stevernson K, Freiedman GK. IMMU-03. IDENTIFICATION OF GENETIC BIOMARKERS TO PREDICT RESPONSE TO HSV-1 G207 AND POLIO:RHINOVIRUS IMMUNOTHERAPY. Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Research Conference 25, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
Book Chapters
- Kamita SG, Kang KD, Hammock BD, Inceoglu AB. Genetically modified baculoviruses for pest insect control. In: Comprehensive molecular insect science. Oxford: Elsvier, 2005.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 22, 2026