Class of 2022: Hyosik Kim

Hyosik Kim is a Biology major with a specialization in Molecular Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He is from Seoul, South Korea.

When I took my first step on the Hill, I was: Half worried, half excited.

The me who will ring the Old Main bell on Commencement Day is: Grateful for all of the learning and opportunities at McDaniel.

Real world experiences: I have done research on optimization of viral protein expression with Biology Professor Susan Parrish. I also have done a synthesis project discovering synthetic drug candidates against SARS-CoV2 with Chemistry Professor Dana Ferraris.

My aha moment: I actually like biology and enjoy learning lab techniques!

Footprints I’m leaving on the Hill: As an international student, people might ask, “Why did come to McDaniel? How did you find McDaniel?” Whatever the reason was, I liked this small community with strong bonds with professors and peers.

Faculty or staff member who most influenced who I have become: Dr. Susan Parrish. First, I have taken all of her classes. Second, she was very open to students, making us feel comfortable to visit her office. Third, she always made sure we were not behind and tried to explain things as thoroughly and easily as possible.

Best class ever: Advanced Molecular Genetics. I am learning various molecular techniques that are cool and useful in my future career.

Took me totally by surprise: McDaniel’s Spring Fling when I was a freshman.

My favorite spot on campus: The hill looking down over the football field. Wide open, and I’m able to see all of the football field in one sight.

Most mind-boggling idea I learned at McDaniel: My first time seeing a real football game. It was pretty intense, and I enjoyed watching people become one in support of our school.

My capstone title: “Expression and Purification of Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara (MVA) D10 Host-Range Expansion Mutant Proteins.”

What it’s about in plain talk: My capstone research is basically about obtaining viral protein under optimal conditions for further use in research. This viral protein is called modified vaccinia virus Ankara D10 host-range expansion mutant protein. Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is an attenuated version of the vaccinia virus that has been used for the smallpox vaccine and other vaccines. This virus was originally not able to replicate in human cells, but some of them acquired the ability to replicate in human cells via mutation. To further test this virus’s ability to degrade host machinery, we physically needed mutant D10 proteins. As a result, we have found the optimal conditions to obtain the largest amount of D10 viral protein.

Tell us a little about your activities, including sports, during your years at McDaniel: I was a part of the club Asian Community Coalition. Members of the club are people who respect and love Asian culture and we convened for special holiday events like Holi from India and Chuseok from Korea.

What’s next: Looking for a job.

How will you stay connected to McDaniel? I will keep in touch with the professors that I had at McDaniel.