Kang, Un Jung, MD

Professor (Neurology and Committees on Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine)
Associate Chair for Clinical Affairs
Director, Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders Center

Address: 5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC 2030
Chicago, IL 60637-1470
Telephone: 773-702-6389
Secretary: Melissa Meskers
Patient Calls: 773-702-4392
Fax: 773-702-9076
Laboratory Website: Department of Neurobiology, Pharmacology, and Physiology
Education & Training
  • MD, 1982, Johns Hopkins University
  • Residency, 1983-1986, Columbia University, Neurological Institute of New York
  • Fellowship (Movement Disorders), 1986-1987, Columbia University, Neurological Institute
  • Board Certified in Neurology, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 1987
Clinical Interests
  • Movement Disorders
  • Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, Huntington’s disease, tremor
  • Botulinum toxin therapy for movement disorders
Research Interests
  • Biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease
  • Gene therapy and mechanism of dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease
  • Cellular and molecular mechanism of neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease
Teaching
  • Medical School Course: Medical Biology 305: Clinical Correlations, 2004-present
  • Medical School Course: Clinical Pathophysiology and Therapeutics (Medical Biology 307): Movement Disorders, 2001-present
Selected Publications
  1. Yang W, Chen L, Ding Y, Zhuang X, Kang UJ. Paraquat induces dopaminergic dysfunction and proteasome impairment in DJ-1-deficient mice. Human Molecular Genetics 2007.
  2. Ding Y, Restrepo J, Won L, Hwang D-Y, Kim K-S, Kang UJ. Chronic 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine treatment induces dyskinesia in aphakia mice, a novel genetic model of Parkinson's Disease. Neurobiology of Disease 2007;27:11-23.
  3. Meredith GE, Kang UJ. Behavioral models of Parkinson's disease in rodents: A new look at an old problem. Mov Disord 2006; 21(10):1595-606.
  4. Chen L, Cagniard B, Mathews T, Jones S, Koh HC, Ding Y, Carvey PM, Ling Z, Kang UJ, Zhuang X. Age-dependent motor defi cits and dopaminergic dysfunction in DJ-1 null mice. J Biol Chem. 2005;280(22):21418-26.
  5. Kweon GR, Marks JD, Krencik R, Leung EH, Schumacker PT, Hyland K, Kang UJ. Distinct mechanisms of neurodegeneration induced by chronic complex I inhibition in dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic cells. J Biol Chem. 2004;279(50):51783-92.
  6. Kang UJ, Nakamura K. Potential of gene therapy for pediatric neurotransmitter diseases: lessons from Parkinson’s disease. Ann Neurol. 2003;54 Suppl 6:S103-9.
  7. Nakamura K, Bindokas VP, Kowlessur D, Elas M, Milstien S, Marks JD, Halpern HJ, Kang UJ. Tetrahydrobiopterin scavenges superoxide in dopaminergic neurons. J Biol Chem. 2001;276(37):34402-7.
  8. Lee WY, Chang JW, Nemeth NL, Kang UJ. Vesicular monoamine transporter-2 and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase enhance dopamine delivery following L-DOPA administration in parkinsonian rats. J Neurosci 1999;19:3266-3274.
  9. Levivier M, Przedborski S, Bencsics C, Kang UJ. Intrastriatal implantation of fibroblasts genetically engineered to produce brain-derived neurotrophic factor prevents degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. J Neurosci 1995;15:7810-7820.
  10. Greene P, Kang UJ, Fahn S. Spread of symptoms in idiopathic torsion dystonia. Movement Disord 1995; 10:143-152.
  11. Kang UJ, Burke RE, Fahn S. Natural history and treatment of tardive dystonia. Movement Disord 1986;1(3):193-208.
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