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  1. Science & Research (NCTR)

Sung Guk Kim Ph.D.

Supervisory Microbiologist — Office of Scientific Coordination

Headshot of Dr. Sung Guk Kim

Sung Guk Kim, Ph.D.
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov  

 

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About  |  Publications  |  Lab Members

Background

Dr. Sung Guk Kim joined FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) in 2010 and serves as the director of the Microbiology Surveillance/Diagnostic Program. The program provides onsite microbiological surveillance and diagnostic services to ensure research projects are free of pathogens that could compromise results and their accurate and meaningful interpretations. The surveillance program includes bacterial, viral, mycological, parasitological, and environmental monitoring, among others. Microbiological detection and identification are based on classical culture-based methods as well as automated biochemistry-based systems, mass-spectrometry-based methods (MALD-TOFF), and targeted- or whole-genome sequence-based methods.

Prior to joining NCTR, Dr. Kim served as the director of the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. He directed the microbiological surveillance and monitoring program for farm animals, wildlife, lab animals, zoo animals, and live-bird markets in the state of New York. He received a master’s degree and a Ph. D. from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. His major research efforts during graduate study and postdoctoral training were developing “anti-sense RNA systems to fight against bacteriophages.” He previously worked in the food industry as a microbiologist, lab director, production manager, and research and development manager of dairy products.

Research Interests

The primary research interests of the Microbiology Surveillance/Diagnostic Program are as follows:

  • Development of fast, specific, and sensitive detection methods including automated microbiological detection systems, 16S rRNA and total genome sequence-based methods, conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, and mass-spectrometry-based methods, in addition to traditional microbiological techniques
  • Development of multi-plex PCR panels for important pathogens in specific research species (bacteria, viruses, parasites, molds & fungi)
  • Establishment of base-line microbiome data, including gut microbiome data, to determine the presence of pathogens using metrics such as the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroides phyla
  • Building genomic data for further comparative genomic studies by identifying virulence factors and variations associated with pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneuoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella flexneri, Vibrio species, Campylobacter species, Clostridium species, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
     

Professional Societies/National and International Groups

American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians
National Johne’s Working Group Member
AAVLD Bacteriology/Virology Committee Member
1995 – 2022

American Society for Microbiology
Member
2000 – Present

United States Animal Health Association
Member
1995 – 2010
 

Selected Publications

Genome Sequence of Clostridium septicum Strain WW106, Isolated from Influent Wastewater at a Research Center with Multiple-Species Research Animal Facilities.
Wang S.X., Park M., Summage-West C.V., Reyna M., and Kim S.G.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2024, 13(1):e0076823. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00768-23. Epub 2023 Dec 8. PMID: 38063434.

Complete Genome Sequence of Parabacteroides distasonis Strain GP102, Isolated from the Cecum of a Morbid Pregnant Laboratory Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus).
Wang S.X., Summage-West C.V., and Kim S.G.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2024, e0125923. doi: 10.1128/mra.01259-23. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38376195.

Complete Genome Sequence of Shigella flexneri Strain P099 from the Gum of an Adult Rhesus Monkey, Macaca mulatta, with Gingivitis.
Kim S.G., Summage-West C.V., Reyna M., Sopovski D., Sims L.M., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2023, 12(9):e0038323. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00383-23. Epub 2023 Aug 18. PMID: 37594264.

Complete Genome Sequence of Invasive MLST-Untypeable Serotype 3 xpt-Deficient Streptococcus pneumoniae Strain B1900, Isolated from the Brain of an Infant Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta) that Died of Meningitis.
Kim S.G., Summage-West C.V., Reyna M., Wang S.X., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2023, 12(7):e0013823. doi: 10.1128/mra.00138-23. Epub 2023 Jun 5. PMID: 37272797.

Genome Sequence of Gordonia alkaliphila Strain WW102, Isolated from Influent Wastewater at a Research Center with Multiple-Species Research Animal Facilities.
Kim S.G., Reyna M., Park M., Wang S.X., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2023, 12(10):e0049223. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00492-23. Epub 2023 Sep 28. PMID: 37768090.

Complete Genome Sequence of Terrisporobacter glycolicus Strain WW3900, Isolated from Influent Wastewater at a Research Center with Multiple-Species Research Animal Facilities.
Kim S.G., Summage-West C.V., Reyna M., Feye K.M., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2022, 11(11):e0085922. doi: 10.1128/mra.00859-22. Epub 2022 Oct 12. PMID: 36222709.

Complete Genome Sequence of Metabacillus litoralis Strain NCTR108, Isolated from Commercial Tattoo Ink.
Kim S.G., Summage-West C.V., Reyna M., Kim S.J., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2022, 11(11):e0079422. doi: 10.1128/mra.00794-22. Epub 2022 Oct 5. PMID: 36197283.

Complete Genome Sequence of Campylobacter coli Strain P4581, a Hybrid Carrying Campylobacter jejuni Genomic Content, Isolated from Rhesus Monkey, Macaca mulatta.
Kim S.G., Summage-West C.V., Sims L.M., Wu L., Kim J., Nho S., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2022 Oct 20;11(10):e0084722. doi: 10.1128/mra.00847-22. Epub 2022 Sep 1. PMID: 36047780

Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus toyonensis Strain HA0190, Isolated from a Commercial Hydroxyapatite Product Extensively Used as a Synthetic Bone Graft Substitute.
Kim S.G., Park M., Summage-West C.V., Min S., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2022, 11(4):e0010522. doi: 10.1128/mra.00105-22. Epub 2022 Apr 4. PMID: 35377175.

Draft Genome Sequence of Ralstonia pickettii Strain NCTR106, Isolated from Milk Carton Paperboard.
Kim S.G., Summage-West C.V., Buzatu D.A., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2022, 11(2):e0108421. doi: 10.1128/mra.01084-21. Epub 2022 Jan 27. PMID: 35084218.

Draft Genome Sequence of the Multidrug-Resistant Strain Stenotrophomonas maltophilia N0320, Isolated from a Commercial Nanoparticle Product.
Park M., Summage-West C.V., Sims L.M., and Kim S.G.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2021, 10(43):e0091421. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00914-21. Epub 2021 Oct 28. PMID: 34709057.

Complete Genome Sequence of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis P4531 from a Rhesus Monkey.
Kim S.G., Summage-West C.V., Sims L.M., and Foley S.L.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2021, 10(42):e0073921. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00739-21. Epub 2021 Oct 21. PMID: 34672709.

In Vivo Confocal Microscopy of Equine Fungal Keratitis.
Ledbetter E.C., Irby N.L., and Kim S.G.
Vet Ophthalmol. 2011, 14(1):1-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1463-5224.2010.00822.x. PMID: 21199274.

Genotyping and Phylogenetic Analysis of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Isolates from BVDV Infected Alpacas in North America. 
Kim S.G., Anderson R.R., Yu J.Z., Zylich N.C., Kinde H., Carman S., Bedenice D., and Dubovi E.J.
Vet Microbiol. 2009, 136(3-4):209-16. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.10.029. Epub 2008 Nov 5. PMID: 19059738.

Culture Independent Analysis of Ileal Mucosa Reveals a Selective Increase in Invasive Escherichia coli of Novel Phylogeny Relative to Depletion of Clostridiales in Crohn's Disease Involving the Ileum. 
Baumgart M., Dogan B., Rishniw M., Weitzman G., Bosworth B., Yantiss R., Orsi R.H., Wiedmann M., McDonough P., Kim S.G., Berg D., Schukken Y., Scherl E., and Simpson K.W.
ISME J. 2007, 1(5):403-18. doi: 10.1038/ismej.2007.52. Epub 2007 Jul 12. PMID: 18043660.

Coxiella burnetii in Bulk Tank Milk Samples, United States. 
Kim S.G., Kim E.H., Lafferty C.J., and Dubovi E.
Emerg Infect Dis. 2005, 11(4):619-21. doi: 10.3201/eid1104.041036. PMID: 15829205.

Use of Conventional and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for Confirmation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in a Broth-Based Culture System ESP II.
Kim S.G., Kim E.H., Lafferty C.J., Miller L.J., Koo H.J., Stehman S.M., and Shin S.J.
J Vet Diagn Invest. 2004, 16(5):448-53. doi: 10.1177/104063870401600515. PMID: 15460331.

A Novel Simple One-Step Single-Tube RT-Duplex PCR Method with an Internal Control for Detection of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus in Bulk Milk, Blood, and Follicular Fluid Samples. 
Kim S.G. and Dubovi E.J.
Biologicals. 2003, 31(2):103-6. doi: 10.1016/s1045-1056(03)00023-x. PMID: 12770539.

Development and Application of Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay Based on the ABI 7700 System (TaqMan) for Detection and Quantification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis.
Kim S.G., Shin S.J., Jacobson R.H., Miller L.J., Harpending P.R., Stehman S.M., Rossiter C.A., and Lein D.A.
J Vet Diagn Invest. 2002, 14(2):126-31. doi: 10.1177/104063870201400206. PMID: 11939333.
 

Lab Members

Contact information for all lab members:
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov

Roger Steele
Microbiologist

Sharon X. Wang, Ph.D.
Biologist

Contact Information
Sung Guk Kim
(870) 543-7121
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