Ki-Young Lee, University of Calgary

Research

Cancer Cytoskeleton Development Differentiation Phosphorylation/Dephosphorylation Protein Kinases

Latest papers

Elevated AMPKα2 expression driven by CITED2-dependent CBP/p300 mediated H3K27 acetylation confers doxorubicin resistance in triple-negative breast cancer stem cells.
International journal of biological macromolecules · 2026
Lgmn targets two distinct GPCRs, PAR2 and µ-OR1, and induces cell death in acute lymphoblastic leukemia through an intracellular Ca²⁺ imbalance triggered by ER Ca²⁺ release.
Cell death discovery · 2026 · senior author
AMPKα2 attenuates doxorubicin induced ferroptosis by promoting NCOA4 degradation in triple negative breast cancer.
Drug resistance updates : reviews and commentaries in antimicrobial and anticancer chemotherapy · 2026

All 32 publications

Latest funding

L-asparaginase-induced mechanisms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (aLL) cell apoptosis
CIHR · 2020 · Nominated PI
$898,875
Cdk5 regulation of calcium dynamics
NSERC · 2019 · Principal investigator
$134,870
Cdk5: Its Regulation and Function
CIHR · 2012 · Nominated PI
$737,065

All 7 grants and awards

32 publications.

01

Elevated AMPKα2 expression driven by CITED2-dependent CBP/p300 mediated H3K27 acetylation confers doxorubicin resistance in triple-negative breast cancer stem cells.

Liu X, Si Z, Li L, Zhou M, Peng S, Lee KY, Wang X

International journal of biological macromolecules2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.152572 PMID: 42142783

02

Lgmn targets two distinct GPCRs, PAR2 and µ-OR1, and induces cell death in acute lymphoblastic leukemia through an intracellular Ca²⁺ imbalance triggered by ER Ca²⁺ release.

Lee JK, Riabowol K, Lee KY

Cell death discovery2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41420-026-03003-3 PMID: 41792098

03

AMPKα2 attenuates doxorubicin induced ferroptosis by promoting NCOA4 degradation in triple negative breast cancer.

Liu X, Si Z, Li L, Zhou M, Lee KY, Wang X

Drug resistance updates : reviews and commentaries in antimicrobial and anticancer chemotherapy2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2025.101349 PMID: 41494353

04

L-asparaginase is a PAR2 N-terminal protease that unmasks the PAR2 tethered ligand.

Lee JK, Riabowol K, Wang X, Lee KY

Cell death discovery2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41420-025-02467-z PMID: 40195325

05

L-asparaginase induces IP3R-mediated ER Ca2+ release by targeting µ-OR1 and PAR2 and kills acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.

Lee JK, Kamran H, Lee KY

Cell death discovery2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02142-9 PMID: 39147734

06

PKA inhibition kills L-asparaginase-resistant leukemic cells from relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.

Lee JK, Wang X, Wang J, Rosales JL, Lee KY

Cell death discovery2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02028-w PMID: 38802344

07

PKA inhibition is a central step in D,L-methadone-induced ER Ca2+ release and subsequent apoptosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Kamran H, Lee JK, Lee KY

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology2024Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1388745 PMID: 38721527

08

Editorial: Biomarkers and therapeutic strategies in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Lee KY, Maggi M, Scotti C

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology2023First author

DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1211569 PMID: 37266454

09

Requirement for ER-mitochondria Ca2+ transfer, ROS production and mPTP formation in L-asparaginase-induced apoptosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.

Lee JK, Rosales JL, Lee KY

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology2023Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1124164 PMID: 36895789

10

Cdk5 regulates IP3R1-mediated Ca2+ dynamics and Ca2+-mediated cell proliferation.

NavaneethaKrishnan S, Law V, Lee J, Rosales JL, Lee KY

Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04515-8 PMID: 36001172

L-asparaginase-induced mechanisms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (aLL) cell apoptosis

Nominated PICIHR2020Project Grant

Principal investigators: Lee, Ki-Young

Keywords: Cancer

$898,875

Cdk5 regulation of calcium dynamics

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Lee, KiYoung

$134,870

Cdk5: Its Regulation and Function

Nominated PICIHR2012Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Lee, Ki-Young

Keywords: Cytoskeleton; Development; Differentiation; Phosphorylation/Dephosphorylation; Protein Kinases

$737,065

Role of cyclin-dependent Kinase 5 in cell proliferation

Principal investigatorNSERC2011Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Lee, KiYoung

$240,000

The Role of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 5 in Genomic Stability and Medulloblastoma Formation

SupervisorCIHR2010Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Friesen, Ashley N

Keywords: Cancer Therapy; Cyclin Dependant Kinase 5 (Cdk5); Genomic Stability; Medulloblastoma

$17,500

Development of a Cdk5 Kinase Activity Assay in Living Cells using Fluorescent Peptide Reporters

SupervisorCIHR2009Master's Award: Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Tariq, Hassan

Keywords: Biochemistry; Cloning; Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; High Performance Liquid Chromatography; Kinases/Phosphatases; Mass Spectroscopy; Peptide Synthesis; Phage Display; Phosphorylation; Proteomics

$17,500

Regulation of cyclin-dependant kinase 5 (Cdk5) activity

Principal investigatorNSERC2005Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Lee, KiYoung

$135,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Cell Biology and Anatomy
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Clinical Neurosciences

Co-authors at University of Calgary, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Karl Riabowol

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Douglas Zochodne

Clinical Neurosciences

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2020

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Cancer Dear Professor Lee, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Elevated AMPKα2 expression driven by CITED2-dependent CBP/p300 mediated H3K27 acetylation confers doxorubicin resistance in triple-negative breast cancer stem cells." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "L-asparaginase-induced mechanisms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (aLL) cell apoptosis" (2020), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Ki-Young Lee

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Elevated AMPK&#x3b1;2 expression driven by CITED2-dependent CBP/p300 mediated H3K27 acetylation confers doxorubicin resistance in triple-negative breast cancer stem cells.

Lgmn targets two distinct GPCRs, PAR2 and &#xb5;-OR1, and induces cell death in acute lymphoblastic leukemia through an intracellular Ca&#xb2;&#x207a; imbalance triggered by ER Ca&#xb2;&#x207a; release.

AMPK&#x3b1;2 attenuates doxorubicin induced ferroptosis by promoting NCOA4 degradation in triple negative breast cancer.

L-asparaginase is a PAR2 N-terminal protease that unmasks the PAR2 tethered ligand.

L-asparaginase induces IP3R-mediated ER Ca2+ release by targeting &#xb5;-OR1 and PAR2 and kills acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.

PKA inhibition kills L-asparaginase-resistant leukemic cells from relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.

PKA inhibition is a central step in D,L-methadone-induced ER Ca2+ release and subsequent apoptosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Editorial: Biomarkers and therapeutic strategies in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Requirement for ER-mitochondria Ca2+ transfer, ROS production and mPTP formation in L-asparaginase-induced apoptosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.

Cdk5 regulates IP3R1-mediated Ca2+ dynamics and Ca2+-mediated cell proliferation.

L-asparaginase-induced mechanisms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (aLL) cell apoptosis

Cdk5 regulation of calcium dynamics

Cdk5: Its Regulation and Function

Role of cyclin-dependent Kinase 5 in cell proliferation

The Role of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 5 in Genomic Stability and Medulloblastoma Formation

Development of a Cdk5 Kinase Activity Assay in Living Cells using Fluorescent Peptide Reporters

Regulation of cyclin-dependant kinase 5 (Cdk5) activity

Frequent collaborators

Karl Riabowol

Douglas Zochodne

Elevated AMPKα2 expression driven by CITED2-dependent CBP/p300 mediated H3K27 acetylation confers doxorubicin resistance in triple-negative breast cancer stem cells.

Lgmn targets two distinct GPCRs, PAR2 and µ-OR1, and induces cell death in acute lymphoblastic leukemia through an intracellular Ca²⁺ imbalance triggered by ER Ca²⁺ release.

AMPKα2 attenuates doxorubicin induced ferroptosis by promoting NCOA4 degradation in triple negative breast cancer.

L-asparaginase induces IP3R-mediated ER Ca2+ release by targeting µ-OR1 and PAR2 and kills acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.