KAIST

< (From left) Daesoo Kim, Dean of College of Life Sciences and BioEngineering / Kyunmin Lee, Vice President for Academic Affairs/ Professor Jinsoo Kim/ Kwang Hyung Lee, President / Sang Yup Lee, Vice President for Research>

KAIST announced that Professor Jinsoo Kim of the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering has donated 85,000 shares of ToolGen Inc. stock to help overcome climate disasters and agricultural crises. The shares are valued at approximately 3.438 billion won as of September 15, and KAIST plans to use them to actively promote innovative research in the fields of agriculture and life sciences.

The donation will be used to establish the "Center for Plant-based Carbon Capture," which is scheduled to be founded in the second half of this year. Based on this, KAIST aims to contribute to a sustainable future by fully embarking on research to address climate change and global food security issues.

The research center will focus on developing technologies that maximize the photosynthetic efficiency of plants and microalgae. The goal is to contribute to carbon neutrality by increasing the absorption rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide, while also significantly improving food productivity to enhance food security.

The core technology is the "direct editing technology for organelle DNA (chloroplasts and mitochondria)," which Professor Kim developed for the first time in the world. Chloroplasts, which perform photosynthesis using sunlight, and mitochondria, which act as the cell's energy powerhouse, have their own DNA that could not be edited with existing CRISPR technology. This new technology can precisely edit even this DNA, and it can also be used in the future for research and treatment of intractable genetic diseases.

Furthermore, because the crops developed with this technology involve direct editing of the DNA already present in the plant rather than inserting foreign genes, they are not considered GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). They are recognized as "Non-GMOs" in countries like the United States and Japan. This lowers regulatory barriers and increases consumer acceptance, greatly expanding the potential for commercialization and market entry.

With the establishment of this research center, KAIST anticipates various achievements, including overcoming the food crisis amid climate change, a revolutionary increase in agricultural productivity, the presentation of sustainable carbon reduction methods, and the creation of a next-generation bioenergy industry.

Applying Professor Kim's core technology, high-efficiency crops that can absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide and be used as an energy source can be mass-produced. These crops can be used as a raw material for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), an eco-friendly aviation fuel, which is expected to be an important stepping stone for Korea to emerge as a powerhouse in future aviation fuels.

Professor Kim stated, "The climate change and food security crises facing humanity are no longer issues that we can turn a blind eye to. I decided to make this donation with the hope of contributing to a sustainable future through the advancement of gene editing science and technology, talent cultivation, and industry-academia-research collaboration."

KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee emphasized, "Professor Jinsoo Kim's donation is a role model that shows a scientist's dedication and social responsibility. KAIST will lead innovative technologies and take the lead in solving the global climate and food crises through the Center for Plant-based Carbon Capture."