Kevin J. Yarema

Kevin J. Yarema is a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, affiliated with the Whiting School of Engineering. His research focuses on metabolic glycoengineering to modify cell surface carbohydrates for biomedical applications. He holds a PhD in Biological Chemistry from MIT (1994) and a BS in Biology/Bioengineering from Walla Walla College (1988).

His lab investigates carbohydrate analogs for anti-cancer therapies, stem cell engineering, and biomaterial interfaces. Notable projects include engineering cell surfaces for enhanced adhesion to growth substrates and developing magnetic field-based biosensing mechanisms. Collaborations with JHU Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering teams extend to glycobiinformatics and glycan characterization tools.

Research interests span drug discovery leveraging hexosamine scaffolds, anti-inflammatory cartilage regeneration, and static magnetic field effects on cellular behavior. His publications highlight advancements in glycoengineered antibodies, metabolic flux modulation, and regenerative medicine applications.

Key achievements include pioneering methods for site-specific antibody conjugation and demonstrating metabolic glycoengineering’s role in sensitizing cancer cells to therapies. Ongoing work targets clinical translation of glycoengineered therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular conditions.