Jennifer Q. Kwong, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Division of Cardiovascular Biology
Department of Cell Biology
Emory University School of Medicine
Contact Info: jennifer.kwong@emory.edu
Jennifer Kwong is a cell biologist and Associate Professor with a primary appointment in the Department of Pediatrics and Division of Cardiovascular Biology, and a secondary appointment in the Department of Cell Biology at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Kwong leads a research program dedicated to mitochondrial biology and energetics in excitable tissues. Dr. Kwong received her B.A. in Cell Biology from Cornell University. She conducted her doctoral studies in Neuroscience from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, studying mitochondrial energetics and cell death in neurodegenerative diseases. Following postdoctoral training with Dr. Jeffery Molkentin at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center where she pursued research on mitochondrial permeability transition pore-dependent cell death and mitochondrial calcium regulation in cardiac physiology and disease, Dr. Kwong’s laboratory uses genetic modeling, cell biological, and biochemical approaches to investigate the mechanisms of mitochondrial communication of energetic dysfunction and how mitochondria impact cardiac function and development.
Positions and Education
B.A. Cell Biology
Cornell University
Ph.D. Neuroscience
Cornell University, Weill Medical College
Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular Cardiovascular Biology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Affiliations
Jennifer is a member of the Children’s Heart Research and Outcomes Center. She is affiliated with the Emory Laney Graduate School programs in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology (BCDB) program. She serves as the Chair of the Admissions Committee for the BCDB graduate program as well as a member of the BCDB Executive Committee. Jennifer is a member of the American Heart Association (AHA), International Society for Heart Research (ISHR), American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), and the United Mitochondrial Disease Association.
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2022 American Journal of Physiology Cell Physiology 2021 Paper of the Year
2021 American Physiological Society Select Award, for the study: Loss of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier SLC25A3 induces remodeling of the cardiac mitochondrial protein acylome
2021 American Physiological Society Select Award, for the study: Mitochondrial functional resilience after TFAM ablation in the adult heart
2020 National Institute of Health Early Career Reviewer Program
2014 Gordon Research Conference on Cardiac Regulatory Mechanisms, Best Poster Award
2014 Gordon Research Seminar on Cardiac Regulatory Mechanisms, Best Poster Award
2010 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Heart Institute, Best Poster Award
1999 Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in All Subjects, Cornell University
1998 Golden Key National Honor Society
1995-1999 Dean’s List, Cornell University
1995 Bank of America Citizens’ Scholarship -
National and International
August 19, 2019 Mitochondrial regulation of cardiac function and disease. University of Alabama. Birmingham, AL
February 23, 2018 Mitochondrial Ca2+ and ROS Regulation-Critical Issues & Controversies. University of California Davis School of Medicine. Davis, CA
July 14, 2017 Mitochondria as signaling organelles in the heart. Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Cincinnati, OH
October 5, 2015 Mitochondrial Control of Cellular Life and Death Decisions in the Heart. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute Research In Progress Seminar. Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
May 9, 2015 Mitochondrial Control of Cellular Life and Death Decisions in the Heart. Kosair Children's Hospital Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Regional
May 25, 2022 Mitochondrial energy stress in the adult heart. Center for Diagnostics & Therapeutics Seminar Series, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
October 30, 2020 Mitochondrial regulation of cardiac function and disease. Molecular Biology Interest Group Seminar Series, Kennesaw State University. Atlanta, GA
Institutional
October 21, 2020 Mitochondrial regulation of cardiac function and disease. Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
November 21, 2017 Mitochondrial control of cellular life and death decisions in the heart. Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
March 13, 2017 Mitochondria and Calcium: Points of Intervention for Cardiac Ischemic Injury. Cardiovascular Biology Seminar, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
December 8, 2014 Molecular regulators of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and control of cell death in the heart. Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
December 16, 2013 Dissecting the molecular regulation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH -
Formal Teaching
Medical Student Teaching:
2005-2007 Brain and Mind. Cornell University, Weill Medical College, Teaching Assistant
Master’s and PhD Programs:
2023-present Advanced Seminar2019-present Foundations in Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology
2022 Foundations in Genetics and Molecular Biology II, Participating Faculty
2019 Grant Writing, Participating faculty
2018-2021 Responsible Conduct in Science. Participating faculty
2018-2019 Introductory Graduate Seminar, Co-course Director
Supervisory Teaching
PhD Students Directly Supervised:
2024-present Luke Shoemaker
2023-present Nasab GhazalMD/PhD Students Directly Supervised:
2024-present Nahum Arefeayne
2022-present Chiemela OhanelePostdoctoral Fellows Directly Supervised:
2018-2022 Jessica N. Peoples, Current role: Scientific Advisor, Meunier Carlin & Curfman LLC
Thesis Committees:
2025-present Raining Huo, MD/PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2025-present Sara Sagadiev, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2024-present Cameron Russell, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2024-present Kendall Kanakanui, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2022-present Felipe Takaesu, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2022-present Molly Little, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2022-2025 Lauren Askew, MD/PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2022 William McFadden, PhD Student Qualifying Exam Committee, Emory University
2021 Dariana Torres Rivera, PhD Student Qualifying Exam Committee, Emory University
2021-2024 Christine Bowen, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2020-2023 Jade Avery, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Morehouse University
2020-2025 Alicia Lane, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2020-2022 Lauren Jeffers, MD-PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2019-2022 Jennifer Truong, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2019-2024 Meghan Wynn, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2019-2022 Courtney Christian, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Emory University
2019-2021 David Wolfson, PhD Student Thesis/Dissertation Committee, Georgia Institute of Technology
Undergraduate Students Trained:
2025-present Crystal Oleka
2023-present Benjamin Huang
2023-2025 Ethan Liu
2023-2024 Adam Malik
2023 Cola Cui
2022-2023 Allie Rodgers
2021-2022 Austin Park
2017-2020 Tahmina Mohiuddin
2017-2019 Tyler Pham
