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LSU researcher resettles after Katrina by Cindy Abole Public Relations Nineteenth century American poet and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” These words of resiliency, perseverance and faith reflect the lives of Katrina victims.   Five months ago, Louisiana State University assistant professor Jong Kim, Ph.D., was a budding junior faculty researcher working in the Department of Pathology at LSU's Health Science Center in downtown New Orleans.   Almost overnight, Kim’s world unraveled. The damaging onslaught of 150-plus mph hurricane-force winds and flooding waters brought panic and devastation to most of New Orleans and other coastal communities in three states.   Thanks to the quick response of MUSC leadership and genuine collegial support, Kim and hundreds of other Katrina-displaced researchers found solace and a renewed purpose beyond the chaos and uncertainty.   Kim, originally from South Korea, lived just 20 miles outside of the Crescent City in Slidell, located on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.   Like others in his community, Kim heeded warnings and the city’s mandatory evacuation and quickly migrated with his wife and two children east towards Florida. They eventually found shelter, first in a hotel in Marianna, Fla., on the outskirts of Tallahassee, and later as shelter inhabitants in nearby Chipley. As days went by, he visited the Chipley Public Library almost daily to access the Internet and obtain information about their home in Slidell and work-related updates on the widespread damage affecting LSU’s health sciences complex. Unlike many Katrina victims who suffered from staggering personal property losses, Kim’s home had little damage.   A basic scientist by training, Kim’s research work focused on prostate cancer and the affects of cholesterol metabolism and prostate cancer cell proliferation. He, like other investigators, lost valuable cell lines and tissue samples, animals and other supplies due to power outages and flooding. Later on, he was able to travel back to recover and retrieve research data salvaged from his lab’s notebook and desk top computers.      With nothing but time on his hands, Kim connected to the Research Network Program on LSU’s Web site, which matched displaced scientists with  research institutions. MUSC was among dozens of institutions listed in this service. Kim applied online to MUSC and two other programs in Atlanta and Athens, Ga. He received a prompt reply from MUSC vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost  John Raymond, M.D. He was already familiar with the beauty of Charleston from previous visits hosting family and friends in recent years.   By Oct. 3, Kim arrived in Charleston and was invited to work in the lab of Eleanor Spicer, Ph.D., professor and vice chairman, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Weeks later, Kim’s post-doctoral researcher Xiu Yun Ding, Ph.D., also arrived to work on MUSC’s campus.      Dr. Jong Kim join Drs. Eleanor Spicer, center, and Sumita Bandyopadhyay. Not knowing his long-term work status at LSU, Kim returned to Slidell to temporarily relocate his family to Charleston. With help from MUSC resources, he settled them in an apartment and enrolled his children at St. Andrew’s School of Math and Science.      “MUSC’s response to their situation was a positive experience for everyone involved,” said Spicer. “It’s typical that our normal response to help people during a national disaster or tragic event would be to send money or a check to a coordinating relief organization or region requiring assistance and aid. In this case, we were able to do something much more.”      “What’s remarkable about this effort was the quick mobilization of people and resources to help displaced faculty,” said Raymond. “This effort was conducted with the full support of MUSC’s Board of Trustees, basic science chairs, Office of the Provost, Office of Public Relations/MUSC Guest House and other campuswide resources. I’m thankful everyone was able to help.”   During the past three months, Kim was able to make some valuable progress while working with Spicer within the department and collaborating with other campus researchers including Rick Klein, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Medical Genetics and Nephrology’s Tom Morinelli, Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine.      “I’m grateful to Dr. Spicer and MUSC for allowing us to come here,” Kim said. “Here, I was able to continue to work and be productive, even if it wasn’t in my own lab. I was able to meet and talk with MUSC researchers working on different aspects of prostate cancer research. It was great to be able to discuss basic science with people who share similar interests.”    He was invited to attend November’s College of Graduate Studies’ Student Research Day and Hollings Cancer Center Research Retreat. The campus staff and faculty did their best to make him feel at home.   “It’s challenging to succeed on the junior faculty level in general, with all of the competition for grants, research funding and recruiting personnel,” Spicer said. “So imagine placing oneself in Dr. Kim’s shoes and consider that if everything fell apart, how would you be able to handle it? What Dr. Kim received at MUSC was valuable scientific and collegial support from people who care. Hopefully, this experience will carry through with him throughout his career. Perhaps, he’ll be the one who will help the next person because of this experience.”   Earlier this month, Kim received word of LSU’s re-opening of its first building within its medical research complex since Katrina. And in Slidell, standard utilities and resources were operating again. Kim and his family leave Charleston with mixed feelings.     “I’ll miss so many things about this experience, especially the people I’ve met,” Kim said, with a grateful smile. “I’ll also miss the easy, collaborative environment among researchers. I was able to make better progress in establishing collaborations here than I was able to accomplish back at LSU. The staff here is approachable and responsive to each other’s needs. The environment is cooperative and always willing to help.”     Friday, Feb. 3, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. 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