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Soon-Tae Lee

Seoul National University · Medicine

About the Lab

Professor Soon-Tae Lee's research lab focuses on innovative neurological therapies for acute brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases, with a strong emphasis on neuroprotection, regenerative medicine, and targeted molecular interventions. Key research directions include neural stem cell therapy for intracerebral hemorrhage, miRNA-mediated regulation of neurotrophic factors like BDNF in Alzheimer’s disease, and the development of personalized implantable drug delivery systems for neurological emergencies such as status epilepticus. The lab also explores non-invasive therapeutic strategies, including intranasal delivery of neuroactive compounds and the repurposing of biologics like tocilizumab for refractory seizures.

neural stem cellsmiRNA regulationimplantable drug deliverystatus epilepticusAlzheimer’s disease

Research Overview

Papers
423
Total Citations
18,391
Papers (5y)
87
Primary Field
Medicine

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
87total
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Citations per year (5y)
1,869total
20212022202320242025

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|420 citations·2007
Anti-inflammatory mechanism of intravascular neural stem cell transplantation in haemorrhagic stroke
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Se-Jeong Kim, Dong Hyun Kim, Kyung-Mook Kang, Nan Hyung Hong, Jin Hee Kim, Jae-Joon Ban, Hee-Kwon Park, Seung Up Kim, Chung‐Gyu Park
SJR Q1FWCI 13.9Brain

Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation has been investigated as a means to reconstitute the damaged brain after stroke. In this study, however, we investigated the effect on acute cerebral and peripheral inflammation after intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). NSCs (H1 clone) from fetal human brain were injected intravenously (NSCs-iv, 5 million cells) or intracerebrally (NSCs-ic, 1 million cells) at 2 or 24 h after collagenase-induced ICH in a rat model. Only NSCs-iv-2 h resulted in fewer initial ne

NeurologyMedicine
2
Article|317 citations·2012
miR‐206 regulates brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in Alzheimer disease model
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Jin Hee Kim, Ji‐Young Huh, Hyejin Yoon, Dong‐Kyu Park, Jiyeon Lim, Jeong‐Min Kim, Daejong Jeon, Hoon Ryu, Sang Kun Lee
SJR Q1FWCI 8.7Annals of Neurology

Our findings demonstrate a novel miRNA-dependent regulation of BDNF in AD and suggest possible therapeutic approaches, such as noninvasive intranasal delivery of AM206.

Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
3
Article|295 citations·2010
Altered microRNA regulation in Huntington's disease models
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Wooseok Im, Hyejin Yoon, Jiyeon Im, Jung-Eun Park, Ki Ho Park, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Sang Kun Lee, Manho Kim, Jae‐Kyu Roh
SJR Q1FWCI 8.0Experimental Neurology
Cellular and Molecular NeuroscienceNeuroscience
4
Article|243 citations·2008
Panax Ginseng Enhances Cognitive Performance in Alzheimer Disease
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Ji-Young Sim, Jae‐Hyeok Heo, Manho Kim
SJR Q2FWCI 3.3Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders

Recent experimental evidences suggest protective and trophic effects of ginseng in the memory function of Alzheimer disease (AD). Thus, we investigated the clinical efficacy of Panax ginseng in the cognitive performance of AD patients in an open-label study. Consecutive AD patients were randomly assigned to the ginseng (n=58) or the control group (n=39), and the ginseng group was treated with Panax ginseng powder (4.5 g/d) for 12 weeks. Cognitive performances were monitored using the mini-mental

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
5
Article|202 citations·2010
MicroRNAs Induced During Ischemic Preconditioning
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Hyejin Yoon, Daejong Jeon, Kyoung-Mook Kang, Ki Ho Park, Eun‐Kee Bae, Manho Kim, Sang Kun Lee, Jae‐Kyu Roh
SJR Q1FWCI 5.6Stroke

Two miRNA families, miR-200 and miR-182, were upregulated early after ischemic preconditioning and the miR-200 family was neuroprotective mainly by downregulating prolyl hydroxylase 2 levels. These miRNAs may be useful in future research and therapeutic applications.

Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
6
Article|199 citations·2021
Soft implantable drug delivery device integrated wirelessly with wearable devices to treat fatal seizures
Hyun‐Woo Joo, Youngsik Lee, Jaemin Kim, Jeong-Suk Yoo, Seungwon Yoo, Sangyeon Kim, Sangyeon Kim, Ashwini Kumar Arya, Sang Jun Kim, Sang Jun Kim, Seung Hong Choi, Nanshu Lu
SJR Q1FWCI 15.4Science AdvancesOA

Personalized biomedical devices have enormous potential to solve clinical challenges in urgent medical situations. Despite this potential, a device for in situ treatment of fatal seizures using pharmaceutical methods has not been developed yet. Here, we present a novel treatment system for neurological medical emergencies, such as status epilepticus, a fatal epileptic condition that requires immediate treatment, using a soft implantable drug delivery device (SID). The SID is integrated wirelessl

Cellular and Molecular NeuroscienceNeuroscience
7
Article|186 citations·2005
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor enhances angiogenesis after focal cerebral ischemia
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Song‐Yi Ko, Eunhee Kim, Dong-In Sinn, Yong‐Seok Lee, Eng H. Lo, Manho Kim, Jae Kyu Roh
SJR Q2FWCI 4.7Brain Research
Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
8
Article|183 citations·2018
Tocilizumab treatment for new onset refractory status epilepticus
Jin‐Sun Jun, Soon‐Tae Lee, Soon‐Tae Lee, Ryul Kim, Kon Chu, Sang Kun Lee, Sang Kun Lee
SJR Q1FWCI 11.1Annals of Neurology

We investigated the therapeutic potential of the interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab in 7 patients with new onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) who remained refractory to conventional immunotherapy with rituximab (n = 5) or without rituximab (n = 2). Status epilepticus (SE) was terminated after 1 or 2 doses of tocilizumab in 6 patients with a median interval of 3 days from the initiation. They had no recurrence of SE during the observation. However, 2 patients experienced severe

Psychiatry and Mental healthMedicine
9
Article|158 citations·2017
Exosome-Based Delivery of miR-124 in a Huntington’s Disease Model
Soon‐Tae Lee, Wooseok Im, Jae‐Jun Ban, Mijung Lee, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Sang Kun Lee, Kon Chu, Manho Kim
SJR Q2FWCI 3.9Journal of Movement DisordersOA

This study serves as a proof of concept for exosome-based delivery of miRNA in neurodegenerative diseases.

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
10
Article|143 citations·2005
Intravenous administration of human neural stem cells induces functional recovery in Huntington's disease rat model
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Jung‐Eun Park, Kyung‐Mi Lee, Lami Kang, Seung Up Kim, Manho Kim
SJR Q2FWCI 3.8Neuroscience Research
Cellular and Molecular NeuroscienceNeuroscience
11
Article|132 citations·2010
Let-7 microRNA inhibits the proliferation of human glioblastoma cells
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Hyun-Jung Oh, Woo-Seok Im, Jiyeon Lim, Seung‐Ki Kim, Chul‐Kee Park, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Sang Kun Lee, Manho Kim, Jae‐Kyu Roh
SJR Q1FWCI 5.7Journal of Neuro-Oncology
Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
12
Article|126 citations·2009
Slowed progression in models of huntington disease by adipose stem cell transplantation
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Wooseok Im, Jeong‐Eun Park, Hun‐Chang Lim, Chong Hyun Won, Seung‐Hyun Shin, Sang Kun Lee, Manho Kim, Jae‐Kyu Roh
SJR Q1FWCI 4.3Annals of Neurology

Collectively, ASC transplantation slowed striatal degeneration and behavioral deterioration of HD models, possibly via secreted factors.

Cellular and Molecular NeuroscienceNeuroscience
13
Article|107 citations·2022
Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis: clinical characteristics and factors associated with outcomes
Woo‐Jin Lee, Han-Sang Lee, Do-Yong Kim, Hye‐Sung Lee, Jangsup Moon, Kyung‐Il Park, Sang Kun Lee, Kon Chu, Soon‐Tae Lee
SJR Q1FWCI 12.2BrainOA

Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis is autoimmune encephalitis without any identifiable pathogenic antibody. Although it is a major subtype of autoimmune encephalitis, many unmet clinical needs exist in terms of clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis. In this institutional cohort study, patients diagnosed with seronegative autoimmune encephalitis with available 2-year outcomes were analysed for the disease course, 2-year outcome prediction system, effect of immunotherapy, necessity

NeurologyMedicine
14
Article|97 citations·2005
Memantine Reduces Hematoma Expansion in Experimental Intracerebral Hemorrhage, Resulting in Functional Improvement
Soon‐Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Juhyun Kim, Eun‐Hee Kim, Se-Jeong Kim, Dong-In Sinn, Song‐Yi Ko, Manho Kim, Jae‐Kyu Roh
SJR Q1FWCI 4.8Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & MetabolismOA

Glutamate is accumulated in abundance during the early period of experimental hematoma, and the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by glutamate can result in an influx of calcium and neuronal death in cases of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Memantine, which is known to be a moderate-affinity, uncompetitive, NMDA receptor antagonist, was investigated with regard to its ability to block the glutamate overstimulation and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)/urokinase plasminogen act

NeurologyMedicine
15
Article|88 citations·2014
Clinical manifestations and outcomes of the treatment of patients with GABAB encephalitis
Tae‐Joon Kim, Soon‐Tae Lee, Soon‐Tae Lee, Jung-Won Shin, Jangsup Moon, Jung‐Ah Lim, Jung‐Ick Byun, Yong‐Won Shin, Keon‐Joo Lee, Keun‐Hwa Jung, Young‐Soo Kim, Kyung‐Il Park
SJR Q2FWCI 6.2Journal of Neuroimmunology
NeurologyMedicine

Research Areas

NeurologyPsychiatry and Mental healthGeneticsCellular and Molecular NeuroscienceMolecular BiologyRadiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

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