Kun Huang
(she/her)
Clinician Investigator, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Appointments
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Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of British Columbia
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Co-director of Myositis clinic at the Mary Pack Arthritis Centre
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Division Head, Fraser Health Authority Rheumatology
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Rheumatologist, Fraser South Rheumatology Clinic in Surrey
Research Interests
- Inflammatory myositis, and treatment of refractory myositis
Dr. Huang earned her PhD in Neuroscience from University of British Columbia (UBC) and MD degree from University of Toronto. She completed Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at UBC. She obtained additional training in the field of inflammatory myositis in Toronto. She currently runs a subspecialty clinic in myositis at Mary Pack Arthritis Centre.
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Journals Zheng B, Eline E, Xu L, Huang K, Hermans G, Perch M, Samoukovic G, De Langhe E, Dastmalchi M, Christopher-Stine L, Diederichsen L, Leclair V. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Lung Injury in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies – A Potential Lifesaving Intervention. Accepted at Rheumatology. Huang K and Pye A. Updates in treatment of refractory inflammatory myositis. Canadian Rheumatology Today. Vol. 1, Issue 1, Spring 2024. https://catalytichealth.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=156b88e30ac1e34cb6eb032a7&id=e15cd58644&e=a98e550497 Beckett M, Dutz J, Huang K. Upadacitinib therapy in refractory inflammatory myositis: a case series of 10 patients. RMD Open. 2024 Jan 18;10(1):e003837. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003837. PMID: 38242552; PMCID: PMC10806474. Beckett M, Tan J, Bonnardeaux E, Dutz J, Shojania K, To F, Obrzut A, Aviña-Zubieta J, Huang K. Tofacitinib therapy in refractory inflammatory myositis: a retrospective cohort study of 41 patients. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024 May 2;63(5):1432-1436. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead404. PMID: 37584672. Li L, D’Silva K, Lu N, Huang K, Esdaile J, Choi H, Aviña-Zubieta A, Mortality trends in polymyositis and dermatomyositis: A general population-based study. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism. Volume 50, Issue 5, October 2020, Pages 834-839. ttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.semarthrit.2020.08.009 Karacabeyli D, Abu-Abed S, Agoumi M, Huang K, Myeloperoxidase positivity in giant cell arteritis presenting with fever of unknown origin, Rheumatology, (Oxford) Online Sep 6, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keaa442 Huang K, Levy R, Avina-Zubieta A. Successful lung transplant in rapid progressive interstitial lung disease associated with anti-melanoma differentiation associated gene 5. Rheumatology (Oxford) Online Feb 18, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keaa032 Huang K, Aggarwal R. Anti-synthetase syndrome: a distinct disease spectrum. Journal of Scleroderma and Related Disorders. Online Feb 18, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/2397198320902667 Huang K, Vinik O, Shojania K, Yeung J, Shupak R, Nimmo M, and Avina-Zubieta A. Clinical spectrum and therapeutics in Canadian patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5)-positive dermatomyositis: a case-based review. Rheumatol Int. 2019 Aug 2. doi: 10.1007/s00296-019-04398-2 Tan J, Huang K, Dehghan N, and Amiri N. Case Report: Elderly White Woman Presents with Recurrent Skin Lesions. the Rheumatologist. https://www.the-rheumatologist.org/article/case-report-elderly-white-woman-presents-with-recurrent-skin-lesions/3/ Huang K, Shojania K, Chapman K, Amiri N, Dehghan N, Mezei M (2018) Concurrent inflammatory myopathy and myasthenia gravis with or without thymic pathology: a case series and literature review. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019 Feb;48(4):745-751. Huang K, Murphy D, Dehghan N (2017) Calcific tendinitis of the gluteus maximus of a 53-year-old woman. CMAJ. 189 (50): E1561 Wiber S, Jamal S, Huang K (2017) Refractory Isolated Pulmonary Capillaritis Rescued by Rituximab. Modern Rheumatology Case Reports. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/24725625.2017.1391942 Huang K, Kur J (2017) Laryngeal Stridor in Rheumatoid Arthritis. CMAJ. 189(38): E1213. Merali Z, Huang K, Mikulis D; Silver F, Kassner A (2017) Evolution of Blood-Brain-Barrier Permeability after Acute Ischemic Stroke. PLOS one. 12(2): e0171558. Huang K, Parker R, Firoz T (2016). A 54-year-old Woman with Progressive Ataxia. Canadian Journal of Internal Medicine. Vol 11, No 3; 32-35. Aviña-Zubieta JA, Man A, Yurkovich M, Huang K, Sayre EC, Choi HK (2016) Early cardiovascular disease after the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis. Am J Med. 129(3):324-31. Huang K, Khan N, Kwan A, Fang J, Yun L, Kapral MK. (2013) Socioeconomic status and care after stroke: results from the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network. Stroke, 44: 477-482. Fairbank M, Huang K, El-Husseini A, Nabi R (2012) RING Finger palmitoylation of the endoplasmic reticulum Gp78 E3 ubiquitin ligase. FEBS letter. 586(16):2488-93. Young FB, Franciosi S, Spreeuw A, Deng Y, Sanders SS, Tam NCM, Huang K, et al. (2012) Low levels of human HIP14 are sufficient to rescue neuropathological, behavioural, and enzymatic defects due to loss of murine HIP14 in Hip14-/- Mice. PLoS One, 7(5):e36315. Singaraja RR, Huang K, Sanders SS, Milnerwood A, et al (2011) Altered palmitoylation and neuropathological deficits in mice lacking HIP14. Human Molecular Genetics. 20(20):3899-909. Huang K, Sanders SS, Kang R, Carroll J, Sutton L, Wan J, Singaraja RR, Young FB, Liu L, El-Husseini A, Davis NG, Hayden MR (2011) Wildtype HTT modulates the enzymatic activity of the neuronal palmitoyl transferase HIP14. Human Molecular Genetics. 20(17):3356-65. Arstikaitis P, Gauthier-Campbell C, Huang K, El-Husseini A, Murphy TH (2011) Proteins that promote filopodia stability, but not number, lead to more axonal-dendritic contacts. PLoS One. 6(3):e16998. Huang K, Kang MH, Askew C, Kang R, Sanders SS, Wan J, Davis NG, Hayden MR (2010) Palmitoylation and function of Glial Glutamate Transporter-1 is reduced in the YAC128 mouse model of Huntington disease. Neurobiology of Disease. 40(1):207-15 Verpelli C, Piccoli G, Zibetti C, Zanchi A, Gardoni F, Huang K, Brambilla D, Di Luca M, Battaglioli E, and Sala C (2010) Synaptic activity controls dendritic spine morphology by modulating eEF2-dependent BDNF synthesis. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(17): 5830-42. Huang K, Sanders SS, Singaraja RR, Orban P, Cijsouw T, Arstikaitis P, Yanai A, Hayden MR, El-Husseini A (2009) Neuronal palmitoyl acyl transferases exhibit distinct substrate specificity. FASEB Journal, 23(8):2605-15. Kang R, Wan J, Arstikaitis P, Takahashi H, Huang K, Roth A et al. (2008) Neural palmitoyl-proteomics reveals dynamic synaptic palmitoylation. Nature 456, 904-909 Krivosheya D, Tapia L, Levinson JN, Huang K, Kang Y, et al. (2008) ErbB4-neuregulin signaling modulates synapse development and dendritic arborization through distinct mechanisms. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283, 32944-32956 Arstikaitis P, Gauthier-Campbell C, Herrera RCG, Huang K, Levinson JN, et al (2008), Paralemmin-1, a modulator of filopodia induction is required for spine maturation. Molecular Biology of Cell. 19(5):2026-2038 Yanai A*, Huang K*, Kang R*, et al (2006), Palmitoylation of huntingtin by HIP14 is essential for its trafficking and function. Nature Neuroscience. 9:824-831. (* authors of equal contribution) Levinson JN, Chéry N, Huang K, Wong TP, et al (2005), Neuroligins mediate excitatory and inhibitory synapse formation: Involvement of PSD-95 and neurexin-1b in neuroligin-induced synaptic specificity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280(17): 17312-17319. Huang K*, Yanai A*, Kang R*, et al (2004), Huntingtin interacting protein HIP14, is a palmitoyl transferase involved in palmitoylation and trafficking of multiple neuronal proteins. Neuron. 44(6): 977-86. (* authors of equal contribution) Chen X, Feng Q, Wu Z, Liu Y, Huang K, Shi R, et al (2003), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene sequence from foot-and-mouth disease virus in Hong Kong, Biochem Biophys Res Commun.308: 899-905. Book Chapters and Reviews: Huang K and Aggarwal R (2020), Book chapter: dietary consideration in myositis. Managing Myositis: A Practical Guide. ISBN-13: 978-3030158194 Editors: Rohit Aggarwal and Chester V Oddis. Huang K and El-Husseini A. (2008), Book chapter: Palmitoylation-a key signal for controlling protein trafficking and function. Protocols for the Bioanalytical Discovery of Post Translational Modifications. ISBN: 978-81-7895-382-3 Editors: Jennie R. Lill, Wendy N. Sandoval and Victoria C. Pham. Huang K and El-Husseini A. (2005), Modulation of neuronal protein trafficking and function by palmitoylation. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 15(5):527-35. Ennis D, Hsieh J and Huang K (2014), Chapter 22: Rheumatology, Essentials for the Canadian Licensing Exam 2nd Edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Commentaries (Non-refereed): Huang K (2012) A common tool for rare diseases. Clinical Genetics. 81(5): 432. Huang K (2011) Exome sequencing expedites disease gene discovery. Clinical Genetics. 80(2):133-4. Huang K (2011) De novo paradigm: the ultimate answer to the paradox in mental retardation? Clinical Genetics. 79(5):427-8. Huang K (2011) Dissecting the genes of familial aortic dissections. Clinical Genetics. 79(5):425-7. Huang K (2010) Nature versus Nurture: genetic susceptibility and weight loss in Hepatic Steatosis. Clinical Genetics. 78 (5): 422-23. Huang K (2010) DNA repair deficiency in a newly identified neurological disease. Clinical Genetics. 78 (5): 418-19. Huang K (2010) Yet another gene mutation: dysfunction in mitochondrial protein quality control causing hereditary ataxia. Clinical Genetics. 78 (5): 420-22. Huang K (2010) Not Identical: Twin studies to reveal epigenetic differences. Clinical Genetics. 77(3):228-30. Huang K (2010) A neuronal gene mutation that kills glia. Clinical Genetics. 77(3): 227-8. Huang K (2010) A K+ channel that channels neurology to nephrology. Clinical Genetics. 77(3):230-31. Huang K (2009) SYNGAP: bridging the gap between genetic factors and autosomal non-syndromic mental retardation. Clinical Genetics. 76(2):149-51. Non-Academic Publications: Huang K, Bout, Success in Personality, Ed. Zhen Song, Democracy & Build Press, 2001, pp54-58 (ISBN 7-80112-383-2). Huang K, The road to the Ivory Tower, Grasp the Opportunities, Ed. Xiangshu Deng, Shandong People Press, 2000, pp136-144 (ISBN 7-209-02567-7). Conference Proceedings Publications