As a Korean-American scientist and immunology researcher, Hee Jin Kim’s journey reflects both resilience and a steadfast will to create real-world impact. From her humble beginnings as a hospital volunteer to becoming a leading figure in biotechnology, Kim has demonstrated how curiosity, dedication, and compassion can converge to advance next-generation immunology research. Today, she stands as a role model who shows not only the power of science to change lives but also the potential of women in STEM to lead with impact.
From Volunteer to Researcher
With a family history of autoimmune disease, Kim was inspired at a young age to volunteer with pediatric and cancer patients at local hospitals. In supporting these patients, she discovered a desire to contribute to real-world medical breakthroughs, joining her curiosity and passion for problem-solving to create change. Intent on bringing hope to those around her, Kim pursued her education with a sense of purpose.
Following this experience, Kim began to focus on her research, entering her professional career as a first-generation scientist. She quickly focused her efforts on cell therapy, recognizing its transformative potential. With dedication and sharp insight, she grew into a master of her field, making her mark on Bay Area biotech and serving as an inspiration for women eager to carve their place in science.
Developing Therapies and Joining GeneFab
During this period of professional growth, Kim turned her attention to developing CCR4 CAR therapies, designed to harness modified white blood cells to target and destroy cancer cells. With the goal of treating T-cell lymphoma, this work represented more than an intellectual challenge—it was a mission rooted in her drive to impact patients’ lives. Her contributions provided valuable insights into a rapidly growing area of medicine.
As her expertise deepened, Kim’s journey led her to GeneFab, a contract development and manufacturing organization and synthetic biofoundry specializing in cell and gene therapies. The move marked a natural continuation of her mission: to translate science into solutions that improve outcomes for patients worldwide.
Driving Growth to Improve Strategies
GeneFab, a contract development, manufacturing, and synthetic biofoundry focused on cell and gene therapies, has certainly been an ideal environment for Kim. With the company, she contributed to the establishment of expansion technologies to drive growth. Here, she has been recognized for designing experiments, scaling processes, troubleshooting challenges, and turning data into strategies that accelerate therapies.
Lessons to Inspire Others
Throughout her career, Kim has learned numerous valuable lessons. As part of an underrepresented group in her field, she has developed resilience, adaptability, and collaboration to achieve success. Now, she encourages anyone who joins or has recently entered the field to do the same, and to always stay curious, embrace challenges, and persist through any setbacks.
In doing so, Kim has become a strong advocate for diversity, representation, and resilience within biotechnology and STEM. By sharing her story and leading by example, she helps break down barriers and inspires underrepresented groups to believe in their ability to make meaningful contributions. Certainly, Kim is an inspiration to women and minorities, as well as first-generation students and scientists intent on creating change in STEM.
Plans for the Future
Looking ahead, Kim remains committed to her central goal: pioneering therapies that bring hope to patients worldwide. Recently, she presented at the 10th CAR-TCR Summit in Boston (September 23–26, 2025), where she shared her insights with leaders in the field. Building on this momentum, Kim continues to seek opportunities to drive innovation and help shape the future of cell therapy.