Current Members
Jon Kim, DVM, PhD. Principal Investigator
Jon Kim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida. He earned his DVM from Konkuk University in South Korea. He received his Ph.D in Veterinary Pathology from the same school, where he established veterinary and comparative oncology research. He completed a post-doctoral work at University of Minnesota and Masonic Cancer Center, and established independent comparative oncology research program. His primary research interest is understanding fundamental mechanisms underlying cancer, particularly soft tissue sarcomas and bone malignancies such as angiosarcoma and osteosarcoma. These tumors occur naturally in companion dogs, and his team is dedicated to advancing comparative oncology research to improve both human and animal health. As a faculty member of the UF AI Initiative, Jon is also establishing AI-enabled digital health platforms for comparative oncology and translational medicine. Outside of science, he enjoys running, singing, reading, camping, and taking road trips.
Don Lee, PhD. Post-doc
Don’s research focuses on developing novel therapeutics for cancer treatment and overcoming therapy resistance. Prior to returning to academia, he gained extensive industry experience in small molecule targeted therapies across multiple cancer types, including colorectal cancer and leukemia. Driven by a passion for advancing next-generation cancer treatments, he transitioned back to academia to pursue innovative biologic approaches for drug-resistant cancers. Don received his Ph.D. in Cancer Immunotherapy from the University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, where his research centered on monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics and cellular immunotherapies. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Kim Lab at the University of Florida, where he investigates the biology of rare sarcomas and develops novel therapeutic strategies using artificial intelligence and other computational approaches. His long-term goal is to translate cutting-edge RNA therapeutics into effective treatment options for patients who have developed resistance to current therapies. Outside the laboratory, Don enjoys cooking barbecue, fishing, paddling, and gardening.
Sun Hee Choi. Lab manager/Research Technician
Sun started a new chapter in her career at Kim Lab, joining as a volunteer assistant lab technician in December 2024. Driven by her steadfast commitment and passion for research, she continuously expanded her skills and officially transitioned into the role of Research Technician in February 2026. Today, Sun plays an indispensable role behind the scenes. She works closely with the research team to provide hands-on support for various experimental workflows and oversees general laboratory management to ensure day-to-day operations run seamlessly, allowing researchers to focus fully on their science. Outside the lab, Sun loves spending quality time with family and enjoys exploring Florida’s crystal-clear springs and beautiful beaches.
Hyunji (Hazel) Jo, MS. AI/ML researcher
Hyunji Jo is an AI research scientist whose work focuses on large language models (LLMs) and agentic AI for veterinary clinical and pathology data. Her current research explores the use of machine learning, LLMs, and agentic AI to classify and analyze multimodal veterinary data, including text-based reports, images of pathological lesions, and radiographs. She holds two master’s degrees: one in Biostatistics from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and another in Food and Nutrition from Sookmyung Women’s University. Her previous research involved microbiology and a variety of biological experiments. Since completing her graduate studies in biostatistics in 2023, she has developed a strong interest in applying statistical methods and artificial intelligence to biological and veterinary research. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and young son. Together, they enjoy swimming, visiting aquariums, and exploring their shared interests in rockets and trains.
Keerthana Chinthala, MS. AI/ML Researcher
Keerthana started her career working in industry at Oracle, before pursuing my MS in Computer Science at the University of Florida, where she found her way into computational pathology research. In the Kim Lab, she works on supporting diagnosis and prognosis for canine hemangiosarcoma, using machine learning and spatial analysis to study patterns in whole-slide tissue images. She is currently working on developing an AI agent system that lets researchers ask questions and get answers from clinical pathology reports. Outside the lab, she enjoys planning beach trips when she gets the chance, spending time with family, and reading, especially Dan Brown novels for the mix of history, mystery, and puzzle-solving.
Karthik Karnam, BS. Master’s student
Karthik is a Master’s student in Computer Science with a background in software engineering and a growing interest in applying artificial intelligence to biomedical research. He enjoys exploring how technology can be used to better understand complex biological and medical data and to address meaningful problems in healthcare and cancer research. At the Kim Lab, Karthik brings his experience in computer science, AI, and machine learning to interdisciplinary research in comparative oncology. He is particularly interested in the intersection of AI and medicine and in finding practical ways for emerging technologies to support scientific discovery and research. Beyond academics and research, Karthik enjoys traveling and experiencing new places. He likes hiking, exploring different cultures, and trying new foods and cuisines wherever he goes. He is always curious about discovering something new, whether it is a new technology, a hiking trail, or a local dish in a place he is visiting.
Rebecca Pryor, BS. DVM student
Rebecca Pryor is a veterinary student at the University of Florida who earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the University of South Florida. She joined the lab in May of 2026 following her first year of vet school through the Linda F. Hayward Florida Veterinary Scholars Program. She is currently investigating a current project into the pathobiology of canine hemangiosarcoma. Her research includes mammalian cell cultures, morphological analysis, microscopic image acquisition, statistical analysis, and data processing. Along with her interest in oncological research, Rebecca has a passion for companion animal mobility medicine, neurology and medical oncology with hopes to pursue a residency following veterinary school. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys going on runs, volunteering at shelters, baking, trying new foods, and learning dance choreographies.
Kelsey Zou, MS, DVM. PhD student
Kelsey Zou is an animal lover and a licensed veterinarian in China with two years of clinical experience in small animal practice. After entering the Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine program at Chi University in 2022, she discovered a passion for biomedical research and translational medicine. From 2024 to 2026, Kelsey served as the Student Research Coordinator at the Chi University Bioscience Research Center, where she mentored student researchers and supported laboratory projects involving lentiviral transduction, Western blotting, qPCR, bioinformatics, and other molecular biology techniques. Kelsey is particularly interested in translational medicine, with the goal of bridging laboratory discoveries and clinical applications in veterinary medicine. Her research focuses on applying molecular and computational approaches to advance comparative oncology and veterinary biomedical research. In Fall 2026, Kelsey will begin her Ph.D. in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences program at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Outside of research, Kelsey enjoys spending time outdoors in Florida’s sunshine, especially kayaking, camping, and fishing. She is also an avid video game enthusiast.
Former Members
Diane Chae, Undergraduate researcher. Currently Project Control Engineer at Hyundai ENG America, Inc.
Daniel Alves Casto, Undergraduate researcher. Currently Software Development Engineer at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Inc.
Joanne Kim, Undergraduate research. Currently Data Analyst at Bank of America.
Jacob Ratcliffe, MS student researcher. Currently PhD student at University of South Florida.
Rohith Sai Reddy, MS student researcher. Currently Software Engineer at Amazon.com, Inc.
Eslenur Nipa, Research scientist.
Md Abdullah, Ph.D, Post-Doc.