KAIST

<Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee immediately after receiving the AIBN Medal (AIBN Translational Research Award)>

KAIST announced on February 9th that Sang Yup Lee, Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (and Vice President for Research), was presented with the AIBN Medal (AIBN Translational Research Award) on February 3rd (local time) at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), located at the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane, Australia.

The AIBN Medal is awarded to recognize translational research achievements that extend biotechnological research into industrial and social value. It is often described as an award for "achievements that do not let research end in the laboratory." Rather than focusing solely on the number of papers or citations, the award prioritizes industrial applicability, technology dissemination, international cooperation, and social impact. It is a symbolic global award in the field of translational research presented by AIBN, a world-class research hub for synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and biomanufacturing. The medal was personally presented by Professor Sue Harrison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Queensland.

<Professor Sue Harrison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UQ, personally presenting the medal>

During his commemorative lecture, Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee spoke on the topic of "Systems Metabolic Engineering for Chemical Production," presenting a future vision for sustainable biomanufacturing and synthetic biology technologies.

<Vice President for Research giving the award lecture on Systems Metabolic Engineering for Chemical Production>

For approximately 32 years at KAIST, Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee has pioneered research in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and systems biotechnology. To date, he has accumulated world-class research achievements, including 798 papers in international journals, 868 patents (registered and filed), over 3,000 presentations at domestic and international conferences, and approximately 690 keynote and invited lectures.

Furthermore, he has contributed to establishing the academic framework of the field through numerous publications, such as Metabolic Engineering, Systems Biology and Biotechnology of Escherichia coli, and Systems Metabolic Engineering.

In its official announcement, AIBN stated the background for the award: "Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee is a world-renowned scholar in the field of systems metabolic engineering who has made continuous and meaningful contributions not only to academic influence but also to the University of Queensland and the Australian research ecosystem." Notably, Professor Lee played a key role in establishing research strategies during the early days of AIBN (2006–2007). His collaboration has since expanded from sugar-based biomanufacturing to synthetic aviation fuels and waste-gas fermentation-based bioprocessing.

This collaboration led to global joint research with entities such as Amyris (a US-based bio-chemical and fuel company), UC Berkeley, LanzaTech (a global leader in waste-gas fermentation), and SkyNRG (a Dutch company leading the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, SAF). These efforts served as a vital foundation for the University of Queensland to become Australia’s representative research hub in synthetic biology and systems metabolic engineering.

Professor Lee is an International Member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in the US, a Foreign Member of The Royal Society in the UK, and a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Global Future Council on Biotechnology for the World Economic Forum (WEF), continuing his international activities across academia, policy, and industry.

In his acceptance speech, Vice President Sang Yup Lee remarked, "I believe this AIBN Medal is not just an individual achievement, but the fruit of long-standing cooperation between researchers from KAIST, UQ, and Korea and Australia. It is a meaningful award that demonstrates how research in systems metabolic engineering and synthetic biology can lead to solutions for sustainable industry and social issues." He added, "Moving forward, I will continue to strengthen global research cooperation and translational research to ensure that biotechnology provides tangible value to human life."

KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee commented, "This award goes beyond the personal excellence of Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee; it is a case where KAIST’s research capabilities and international cooperation strategies have been recognized globally. KAIST will continue to lead translational research where results spread to industry and society, contributing to the sustainable bio-industry and the resolution of global challenges through cooperation with global partners."

Meanwhile, Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee was originally named the inaugural recipient of the 1st AIBN Medal in 2016. However, the official ceremony was delayed due to scheduling conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to his attendance and formal receipt of the award nearly 10 years later.