Bioengineering
-
Professor Kim Eun Joon receives In Chon Award
Professor Kim Eun Joon (Department of Biological Sciences) received the In Chon Awarded hosted by In Chon Memorial and Dong Ah Newspaper.
The Award Ceremony will be held on the 8th of October in Seoul Lotte Hotel and Professor Kim will be given a medal and prize money amounting 100million Korean Won.
Professor Kim is a world renowned research in the field of Synapses. Professor Kim graduated from the Department of Pharmacy in Pusan University, B.A. at KAIST, and Ph.D at Michigan University. He has been a Professor at KAIST since 2000.
2012.09.11 View 8913 -
International workshop on healthcare technology to be held on campus, April 24, 2012
KAIST and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden, host a joint workshop on healthcare technologies on Tuesday, April 24, at the LG Semicon Hall (N24).
Open to the public, the workshop will proceed with presentations and discussions by participants from both institutions. Presentation topics and speakers are as follows:
“Applied medical engineering, innovation from clinical problems” by Professor Lars-Åke Brodin, Dean of School of Technology and Health, KTH
“ICT in healthcare” by Professor Björn-Erik Erlandsson, School of Technology and Health, KTH
“Department of environmental physiology, human research in extreme environments” by Researcher Mikael Grönkvist, School of Technology and Health, KTH
“Brain function imaging using high-resolution MRI technology” by Professor Hyun Wook Park, Department of Electrical Engineering, KAIST
“Bioinstrumentation for healthcare and physical human robot interactions” by Professor Jung Kim, Division of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST
“A portable high-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy system” by Professor Hyeon-Min Bae, Department of Electrical Engineering, KAIST
“Lab-on-a-chip technologies for integrative bioengineering” by Professor Je-Kyun Park, Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST
“The cytoskeleton in cancer and regulation by oncogenic signaling” by Professor David M. Helfman, Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST
Professor Chang Dong Yoo, Associate Vice President of Office of Special Projects and Institutional Relations at KAIST, who organized the workshop, says “Aging population and health issues are driving the demand for more sophisticated medical devices, procedures, and most importantly, qualified scientists and engineers specialized in health-related fields. This joint workshop will be a great chance to share new ideas and develop joint research between two leading research-oriented universities in two countries.”
Partially supported by LG Ericsson in Korea, the workshop is funded largely by the generous donation, made last June by a Swedish couple, to KAIST scholar exchange program.
The couple (Rune Jonasson and Kerstin Jonasson) donated 70 million krona (about 11.8 billion Korean won) to KTH last year and requested that some portion of the sum be used for a scholar exchange program with KAIST. The wife of the couple, Kerstin Jonasson, participated in the Korean War as a nurse, and upon her wish for further development in Korea’s science and technology, KAIST and KTH decided to use the donation for research in the field of healthcare and for a post-doc researcher exchange program.
KTH is a world-class university of Sweden and has produced numerous researchers for private enterprises, like Ericsson, and venture businesses. Since 1988, KTH offers a top notch program for information technology; the School of Information and Communication Technology is located in the Kista district, a vibrant cluster of information and communications technology industries in Sweden, and has taken on the crucial role of supplying personnel to the Kista Science Park as well as to academic-industrial cooperation.
For any inquiries, please contact the International Relations Team at +82-42-350-2441 (email: jungillee@kaist.ac.kr).
2012.04.21 View 12083 -
Creation of Synthetic Antibodies: Professor Hak Seong Kim
Synthetics antibodies which can replace antibodies from humans used as ingredients of medicines have been developed. It can increase the costs to 1/100 of the current costs and is much easier to develop. It is expected that the development period will be shortened from 10 years to 5.
Prof. Hak Seong Kim from the Biology department of KAIST conducted a joint research with Prof. Dong Seob Kim to reconstruct proteins and has succeeded.
The synthetic antibody displays much strength in terms of its productivity, structural formation, and bonding capability, and is thus regarded as an ideal protein. It can replace the antigens that are currently in use. It is expected that Korea will therefore be able to lead the world market for protein medicines which is a 192trillion won industry.
The original antibody has been used for not only treating diseases, but also for various other applications in the fields of medical sciences and biology. However, it is produced through a very complex process involving the incubation of animal cells, and is therefore very expensive. Also, most antibodies are already patented by more developed countries, so a high royalty fee must be paid.
Because of this, many countries including Korea has been concentrating on developing biosimilars copying the antibody medicines for which the patents have already expired. This causes Korea to be behind in the development of antibody protein pharmaceuticals.
Prof. Kim’s research team has focused on the face that the protein existing in some eels are not antibodies but functions as one, and has been successful in developing a synthetic antibody.
The synthetic antibody can be mass produced from the colon bacillus, which allows it to be produced at 1/100 the original cost. It is in a module structure which allows the structuring of the antibody into the desired structure, enabling it to be developed into a protein-based medicine within 5 years.
Together with this, the coherence with the important antigens can be easily controlled, thus allowing for highly effective treatments, less side-effects, high security regarding heat and pH, and the immunogen levels being negligeable. This suggests a very high rate of the antibody being converted into a protein based medication.
The synthetic antibody technology has been tested as a sample for the cure for lung diseases and rheumatism and has been proven to be appropriate. Animal testing will be conducted soon.
Prof Kim said “The original antibodies had a small area allowing the bonding with antibodies, creating barriers for raising bonding strength and structuring. The newly created antibody carries only the strengths and will become a new protein based medicine purely created by Korean technology to replace the antibodies currently used in medications.”
Furthermore, he added that, “The synthesized antibody structuring and designing technology will be widely used in the areas of detecting, diagnosing, and analyzing diseases.”
At the same time, this research result has been published in the Feb 10th issue of the PNAS, and has been supported by the future promising pioneer business program held by the Ministry of Education and Technology.
2012.04.04 View 12135
-
'Scientist-Engineer of the Month' for December: Professor Choi Joon Ho
Professor Choi Joon Ho (department of Biological Sciences) was made ‘Scientist-Engineer of December’ for his discovery of new gene (twenty-four) that helps biorhythm and proving that this gene helps control biorhythm.
Professor Choi published 100 dissertations over the past 25 years and made significant advancements in the field of molecular virus and neurobiology.
In 1995 Professor Choi uncovered the fact that the NS3 protein in C type hepatitis function as RNA helicase thereby opening the path to developing a cure for C type hepatitis; this is an international patent with Chiron corporation. The result was published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal and was the most domestically referred to dissertation in biological sciences in 1999.
In addition Professor Choi published in Nature magazine in 1999, a dissertation that uncovered the fact that the DNA of papillomar virus has another protein (hSNF5) that direct it apart from ordinary proteins.
In 2000~2005 Professor Choi published many dissertations in journals like Immunity, Cancer Research, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Oncogene, Journal of Virology, and etc.
Professor Choi screened over 10,000 species of pomace fly mutations and discovered the twenty-four gene that affects the biorhythm of pomace flies. He analyzed this gene further and found a new function that was different from known biorhythm mechanisms.
This research allowed a better understanding of biological clock of pomace flies and therefore was another step towards better understanding the control mechanism of human biological clock.
2012.01.31 View 10486
-
Seeing Inside Cells with Fiber Optics
Professor Jiho Park’s research team was successful in receiving minute optical signals from inside the cell using optical nano fibers.
Through the invention of this technology, we can now look inside cells in high resolution without the use of equipment such as endoscopes that damage cells. We will be able to study the biological phenomena within cells, and thus cure diseases more effectively.
Recently, ultra high resolution microscopes have been used to analyze incubated cells. However, because of the need for a very complex and large system, it had been impossible to monitor cells in the less transparent areas of the body in real time.
The research team created the wire with a semiconductor created with tin oxides to be only 100 nanometers in diameter (1nanometer= 1/1billion meters).
The nanowire is connected to the end of the optical fiber, and the light that comes through the optical fiber is transmitted to particular spots in the cell, and the optical signals from the cell are retrieved back from the cell as well
Together with this, based on the fact that nanowires do not damage cells, the research team covered the end of the wire with a photo reactive material and entered this into the cell. They were able to check that the material reacted to light and entered the cell when they transmitted light
Accordingly, this showed the possibilities of the use of this technology as a method of treatment to effectively transfer the medication into the cells.
Prof. Jiho Park stated that “in this research, we only used cells incubated outside the human body, but soon we will use this technology to stimulate and control cells within the body in a minute scale” as well as that “soon, we will be able to study the biological phenomena inside a cell to study diseases and apply this to cure them more effectively”.
This research result has been published in the online publication of ‘Nature Nanotechnology’ on December 18.
This study was done through the cooperation of various schools. Besides Prof. Jiho Park, Prof. Seungman Yang from the Biochemistry department, and Doctor Chuljoon Huh from KAIST, Prof. Yeonho Choi from Biomedical Science department of Korea University, Professor Peidon Yang and Doctor Ruoxue Yan from UC Berkeley’s chemistry department, and Luke Lee from UC Berkeley’s bioengineering department participated in the project.
2012.01.31 View 10528
-
Professor Lee Sang Yeop Nominated the Chairman of Emerging Technologies Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum
Professor Lee Sang Yeop, Dean of College Life Science & Bioengineering, was appointed as the chairman of the Emerging Technologies Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum.
He will be in office till the 31st of August 2012, exactly 1 year from the date of his appointment.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a ‘think tank’ consisting of world leaders in various fields like economics, politics, and policies and has created the ‘Global Agenda Council’ to solve the problems mankind faces in achieving environmentally sustainable growth and suggest a collective vision and strategy.
The committee to be chaired by Professor Lee (Emerging Technologies Global Agenda Council) will discuss the direction in which the fields of biological engineering, nanotechnology, and IT (information technology) should develop and discuss the possible impact these fields will have on the society.
Professor Lee commented that, “I am extremely happy to be appointed as the chair of the Emerging Technologies Global Agenda Council at the World Economic Forum which is a gathering of world class leaders” and that “it is a great opportunity to spread Korea’s success and lessons in the advancement of science and technology.”
Professor Lee is the creator of the field of system metabolism engineering and is making great strides in manipulating the microorganism’s metabolic pathways on a systems scale to make changing chemicals derived from oil into eco-friendly and bio-based products.
2011.09.20 View 10308 -
Biomimetic Carbon Nanotube Fiber Synthesis Technology Developed
The byssus of the mussel allows it to live in harsh conditions where it is constantly battered by crashing waves by allowing the mussel to latch onto the seaside rocks. This particular characteristic of the mussel is due to the unique structure and high adhesiveness of the mussel’s byssus.
KAIST’s Professor Hong Soon Hyung (Department of Material Science and Engineering) and Professor Lee Hae Shin (Department of Chemistry) and the late Professor Park Tae Kwan (Department of Bio Engineering) were able to reproduce the mussel’s byssus using carbon nanotubes.
The carbon nanotube, since its discovery in 1991, was regarded as the next generation material due to its electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. However due to its short length of several nanometers, its industrial use was limited.
The KAIST research team referred to the structure of the byssus of the mussel to solve this problem.
The byssus is composed of collagen fibers and Mefp-1 protein which are in a cross-linking structure. The Mefp-1 protein has catecholamine that allows it to bind strongly with the collagen fiber.
In the artificial structure, the carbon nanotube took on the role of the collagen fibers and the macromolecular adhesive took on the role of the catecholamine. The result was a fiber that was ultra-light and ultra-strong.
The results of the experiment were published in the Advanced Materials magazine and is patent registered both domestically and internationally.
2011.06.20 View 14034
-
Research Conducted on the Development Policy of Medical Researchers in United States
The topic dealt in the paper was “The Vietnam War and Medical Research: Untold Legacy of the U.S. Doctor Draft and the NIH ‘Yellow Berets’” and basically deals how a Doctor Draft made a positive impact on improving the basic research of clinical medicine.
Professor Park received his Doctorate at Johns Hopkins University and came to KAIST in 2007.
Summary of Dissertation
From the start of the Korean War in 1950 to the end of the Vietnam War in 1973 a large number of medical school graduates were drafted to the army. Of those drafted, 100 personnel were chosen annually to focus on researching in the National Institute of Health who developed into leaders of the field.
For example, those who worked as a researcher at the National Institute instead of their armed services were 1.5 times more likely to become a tenured professor, 2 times more likely to be promoted to Dean of the department, and 3 times more likely to be the Dean. In addition, 9 out of 50 Nobel Prize winners in fields of natural sciences between 1985 and 2007 were from the same pool of researchers, and 10 out of 76 recipients of National Medal of Science were also from the same pool of researchers.
They were named the ‘Yellow Berets’ like the special forces ‘Green Berets’ and made great contribution to the field in implementing and executing the bench to beside culture that involves development in laboratories to clinical testing.
Professor Park maintains that there has to be improvements made in current policies to encourage research work in medical graduate schools.
2011.05.31 View 11908
-
Genetic Cause of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Found
The cooperative research team consisting research teams under Professor Kim Eun Joon and Professor Kang Chang Won of the department of Biological Sciences discovered that ADHD arises from the deficiency of GIT1 protein in the brain’s neural synapses.
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is found in around 5% of children around the world and is a disorder where the child becomes unable to concentrate, show over the top responses, and display impulsive behavior.
The research team found that the difference between children with ADHD and those without it is one base in the GIT1 gene. The difference of a single base causes the underproduction of this protein, and those children with low levels of the protein had a higher probability to develop ADHD.
In addition, further evidence was provided when the research team conducted mice experiments. Those mice with low levels of GIT1 exhibited impulsive and exaggerated reactions like humans with ADHD, had learning disabilities, and produced abnormal brain waves. And upon injecting these mice with cure for ADHD, the symptoms of ADHD disappeared.
The impulsive behavior of ADHD children disappears as the child enters adulthood and a similar pattern was found in mice. A mice with low levels of GIT1 showed impulsive behaviors when 2 months old, but these behaviors disappeared as it got older to around 7 months old (equivalent to 20~30 years old for humans).
Professor Kim Eun Joon commented that there has to be equilibrium between mechanisms that excite the neurons and mechanisms that calm the neurons, but the lack of GIT1 leads to the decrease in the mechanisms that calm the neurons which causes the impulsive behavior of ADHD patients.
In addition, Professor Kang Chang Won commented that the results of the experiment has been receiving rave reviews and is being seen as the new method in the production of the cure for ADHD.
The result of the experiment was published in the online edition of Nature Medicine magazine.
2011.04.30 View 11990
-
Professor Ko Kyu Young Appointed as a Distinguished Professor at KAIST
Professor Ko Kyu Young of the Graduate School of Medical Sciences was appointed as the Distinguished Professor at KAIST.
Professor Ko is famous internationally for his work on the catalyst for blood vessel growth COMP-ANG1, and also for his research on blood vessel growth and lymph duct growth control.
Professor Ko developed the Double Anti-Angiogenic Protein (DAAP) which effectively restricts the blood vessels from growing, opening a new approach to curing caner. The paper was published in ‘Cancer Cell’ as the cover paper (2010 August 17th edition) and is widely recognized as the marker that sums up the new paradigm of cure for cancer.
In addition, his work on explaining how the new antigen interacts with the T-lymphocyte during a vaccination lead to the possibility of the increase of the efficiency of vaccination. The result of the research was published as the cover paper in ‘Immunity’ magazine.
As is obvious to see his work with blood vessel growth and lymph duct growth and control is being published in major scientific journals. In addition he is continuously invited to international conferences as guest speakers and leader, effectively leading the field. As a result, he was appointed as the editor of ‘Blood’ magazine, the world’s best journal in the field of hematology and received ‘2010 KAISTian of the Year’ Award.
The title Distinguished Professor is appointed to those who have made world-class research results and educational results and actively lead their respective field. They are provided with extra incentives and can even continue on with the professorship after retirement.
It is only limited to 3% of the professors at KAIST and has to be someone recommended by the President, Vice-President, and the Deans of department and their worthiness is scrutinized by a foreign expert.
2011.03.25 View 12301
-
New Bio-Clock gene and its function found
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology announced that a Korean research team has found a new gene responsible for maintaining the bio-clock (twenty-four) and its mechanism.
Twnety-four was led by Professor Choi Joon Ho and Dr. Lee Jong Bin of KAIST (department of Biology) and was a joint operation with Professor Ravi Allada and Dr.Lim Jeong Hoon of Northwestern University (department of neurobiology) and the result was published in ‘Nature’ magazine.
The research team experimented with transformed small fruit flies for 4 years and found that there was an undiscovered gene that deals with the bio rhythm in the brain which they named ‘twenty-four’.
The understanding with genes prior to twenty-four was that these genes regulate biorhythm in the transcription phase (DNA to mRNA). Twenty-four operates in the step after transcription when the ribosome creates proteins. Especially twenty-four has a great effect on the ‘period protein’ which acts as a sub-atomic clock that regulates the rhythm and life of each cell.
The experiment was innovational in that it was able to scientifically prove the function of the protein produced by the gene.
The result is expected to help solve the problems associated with sleep disorders, jetlags, eating rhythms, bio rhythms, etc.
The name twenty-four was the fact that a day, a cycle, is 24 hours long and the gene’s serial numbers CG4857 adds up to twenty four.
2011.02.23 View 13542
-
College of Cultural Science selects 'Best English Paper' Recipients
KAIST’s College of Cultural Science (Dean Kim Dong Won) announced the winners of ‘2010 Fall Semester Best English Paper Award’: Excellence Award went to Kwak Ah Young (department of Biology), Seong Du Hyun (undeclared major), Ahn Da In (Biological Chemical Engineering), and nine other students received the Participation Award.
Ahn Da In discussed ‘Joyce and Chopin on use of epiphany’, Seong Du Hyun discussed ‘On Kant’s Groundwork for the metaphysics of Morals, its Achievements, and Implications’, and Kwak Ah Young discussed ‘Fact Pattern of Environmental Law’.
The ‘Best English Paper’ Award has been awarded to undergraduates since 2009 Fall semester in the Humanities and Social Science Department’s efforts to increase creativity and English writing skills of students attending KAIST.
For the 2010 fall semester, each professor in charge went through 1 to 2 papers (among 610 papers admitted across human science subjects) and recommended 29 papers to be discussed with great scrutiny. The evaluation took place throughout January and the 3 papers discussing English Literature, Scientific Philosophy, and Environmental Law were awarded the Excellence Award, and 9 other papers were awarded the Participation Award.
Dean of Cultural Science College Kim Dong Won commented, ‘I am very encouraged by the level of papers and is becoming a very large art of the College of Cultural Science’.
The chairman of the screening committee, Professor Kim Eun Kyung also commented, ‘the best paper award is helping students better their English levels’ and that ‘in order to form and encourage a sound and structured English paper writing environment, a anti-plagiarism program will be implemented amongst implementing other judging standards’.
2011.02.21 View 12374