Explore research labs at leading universities worldwide — research fields and key papers at a glance.
Professor Xiang Li's research lab specializes in gait recognition and human motion analysis, with a strong focus on developing robust, invariant, and disentangled representations for real-world applications. The lab explores model-based gait recognition using 3D human mesh models, multi-view learning, and disentangled representation learning to separate identity from covariates such as clothing, carrying status, and age-related changes. Key research directions include cross-view gait recognition, generalization under covariate variations, and end-to-end learning frameworks that improve accuracy and robustness in unconstrained environments.
Professor Shintaro Iwama's research lab focuses on the mechanisms and clinical implications of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in cancer immunotherapy, particularly those affecting the endocrine system. The lab investigates autoimmune thyroiditis, hypophysitis, and isolated prolactin deficiency induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, using both clinical cohort studies and preclinical mouse models. A key focus is identifying predictive biomarkers—such as pre-existing thyroid autoantibodies— to anticipate and manage irAEs, aiming to improve patient safety and treatment outcomes. The lab also explores the roles of specific T cell subsets in driving organ-specific autoimmunity during immunotherapy.
Professor Kota Watanabe's research lab specializes in spinal surgery and spinal deformity correction, with a strong focus on minimizing surgical trauma and preserving spinal stability. The lab investigates innovative surgical techniques—such as lumbar spinous process-splitting laminectomy—to reduce postoperative pain and prevent paraspinal muscle atrophy in patients with lumbar canal stenosis. It also conducts clinical research on adolescent and early-onset scoliosis, identifying risk factors for complications like proximal junctional kyphosis and assessing patient-reported outcomes and functional improvements. The lab emphasizes evidence-based surgical strategies to enhance long-term spinal health and patient satisfaction.
Professor Hyun Cheol Chung's research lab specializes in translational oncology, focusing on immunotherapy for advanced and treatment-experienced cancers. The lab investigates immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly pembrolizumab, in diverse malignancies such as cervical, small cell lung, and HER2-positive gastric cancers. Key research directions include evaluating biomarker-driven responses (e.g., PD-L1 status), optimizing combination therapies (e.g., with trastuzumab or chemotherapy), and advancing clinical trial design for precision immunotherapy. The lab plays a pivotal role in bridging preclinical insights with clinical application to improve outcomes in aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers.
Professor Hiroshi Okada's research lab specializes in flavor physics and beyond-Standard Model particle physics, focusing on the theoretical unification of quark and lepton masses and mixings through discrete non-Abelian flavor symmetries such as $A_4$ and $S_3$. The lab investigates modular forms and modular symmetries to construct realistic flavor models, particularly in the context of neutrino mass generation, leptonic CP violation, and radiative seesaw mechanisms. Current research also explores dark matter candidates, lepton flavor violation, and collider phenomenology, especially in connection with the Large Hadron Collider and cosmological data such as WMAP/Planck results.
Professor Wen-Chin Huang's research lab specializes in speech processing, with a strong focus on voice conversion (VC), text-to-speech synthesis (TTS), and automatic speech recognition (ASR). The lab explores deep learning techniques—particularly Transformer-based models and variational autoencoders (VAEs)—to improve the quality, naturalness, and prosody transfer in synthetic speech. A key research direction involves leveraging pretraining from large-scale TTS and ASR corpora to enhance data efficiency and reduce mispronunciation in sequence-to-sequence VC systems.
Professor Satoru Matsuda's research lab specializes in surgical oncology and gastrointestinal cancer treatment, with a primary focus on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The lab investigates optimal surgical strategies such as three-field lymph node dissection and thoracic duct preservation, aiming to improve long-term survival and reduce postoperative recurrence. They also explore predictive biomarkers—like plasma fibrinogen and FA score—for recurrence risk after neoadjuvant therapy, supporting personalized follow-up and treatment planning. Their work bridges surgical technique, oncological outcomes, and translational biomarker research.
Professor Ju Young Yoon's research lab focuses on long-term care, geriatric health, and health promotion across diverse populations, with an emphasis on person-centered care, sleep health in older adults, and the well-being of healthcare providers. The lab investigates modifiable factors influencing frailty, social engagement, and mental health in long-term care settings, while also exploring health literacy and behavioral outcomes among educators and visiting nurses. Using mixed-methods and longitudinal designs, the lab aims to inform targeted, age- and context-specific interventions in aging and community health.
Professor Jong-Jin Baik's research lab specializes in atmospheric and environmental fluid dynamics, with a focus on urban air quality, pollutant dispersion, and urban meteorology. The lab employs advanced numerical modeling—ranging from two- and three-dimensional CFD and mesoscale models to nonhydrostatic and compressible atmospheric models—to study complex flow patterns in urban street canyons and the impacts of urban heat islands on convection. Key research directions include vortex dynamics in street canyons, turbulence and dispersion of pollutants, and the role of thermal forcing in triggering convective storms in urban environments. The lab also explores synchronization in high-dimensional chaotic systems, particularly in the context of atmospheric and geophysical flows.
Professor Min Kyong Moon's research lab focuses on the environmental and metabolic impacts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, particularly bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, in relation to metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. The lab investigates the mechanisms of toxicity, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and insulin resistance, using both animal models and large-scale human population studies. A key emphasis is placed on translating epidemiological findings into clinical guidelines tailored to the Korean population, especially through the integration of environmental biomarkers and health outcomes.
Professor Hyun Wook Chae's research lab specializes in pediatric endocrinology and metabolic diseases, with a focus on childhood-onset type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, and growth disorders. The lab conducts longitudinal and population-based studies to develop clinical standards for growth, metabolic health, and early detection of complications in children and adolescents. Key research directions include the evaluation of non-invasive biomarkers such as spot urinary ACR and serum cystatin C for diabetic kidney disease, and the impact of lifestyle interventions on obesity and metabolic health in youth. The lab also investigates the safety of growth hormone therapy in pediatric cancer survivors and the genetic determinants of mitochondrial disorders, including MELAS syndrome and mitochondrial diabetes.
Professor Soon-Yong Kwon's research lab specializes in the controlled synthesis, growth mechanisms, and application of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials, with a strong focus on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), graphene, and MXenes. The lab investigates metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and vapor-phase growth techniques to achieve large-area, low-defect 2D films with precise thickness control and tailored electronic properties. Key research directions include understanding nucleation and growth dynamics, engineering substrate interactions to open band gaps, and developing scalable methods for uniform 2D material deposition on functional substrates. The lab also explores applications in next-generation electronics, optoelectronics, and energy devices such as fuel cells and neuromorphic computing.
Professor Ryuichiro Nakato's research lab specializes in epigenomics and chromatin biology, focusing on the functional characterization of regulatory elements and chromatin architecture in development and disease. The lab develops advanced computational and experimental ChIP-seq methodologies to map histone modifications, transcription factor binding, and phase-separated nuclear bodies that regulate gene expression. A central theme is understanding how epigenetic landscapes, including those driven by oncogenic fusion proteins like NUP98::HOXA9, shape genome organization and transcriptional control in hematopoietic and vascular systems. The lab integrates high-throughput sequencing, genomics, and systems biology to uncover novel regulatory mechanisms in health and disease.
Professor Kazunori Takahashi's research lab specializes in plasma physics and electric propulsion, with a focus on advanced plasma thrusters such as helicon and double layer thrusters. The lab investigates fundamental plasma phenomena including magnetic nozzle expansion, electron diamagnetic drift, and axial momentum transfer in contoured magnetic fields. Their work combines experimental measurements—using precision thrust balances and laser sensors—with theoretical modeling to understand and optimize plasma acceleration and thrust generation. The lab also explores micro-scale plasma and photonic devices, integrating plasma physics with micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) for applications in space propulsion and optical switching.
Professor Angga Hermawan's research lab specializes in the design, synthesis, and application of advanced 2D nanomaterials—particularly MXenes and transition metal-based compounds—for next-generation gas sensing and environmental monitoring. The lab focuses on developing sustainable, low-cost, and high-performance nanomaterials with enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and response kinetics for real-time detection of volatile organic compounds and breath biomarkers. Key research directions include green synthesis of MXenes, heterostructure engineering for improved sensor performance, and the integration of 2D materials into flexible and wearable sensing platforms for personalized healthcare.
Professor Tsuyohiko Fujigaya's research lab specializes in the design and functionalization of advanced nanomaterials, with a focus on carbon nanotubes, metal-organic frameworks, and coordination polymers for energy and environmental applications. Key research directions include the development of stable, air-robust n-type carbon nanotube materials, stimuli-responsive spin-crossover materials for smart devices, and highly selective electrocatalysts for CO₂ reduction. The lab integrates synthetic chemistry, materials characterization, and physical measurements to tailor molecular and electronic properties for sustainable technologies.
Professor Mohd Syamsul's research lab specializes in advanced wide-bandgap semiconductor materials, with a primary focus on diamond-based field-effect transistors (FETs) for high-power and high-frequency electronic applications. The lab explores heteroepitaxial diamond, polycrystalline diamond, and transparent diamond FETs, achieving record-breaking breakdown voltages and current densities. Their work also extends to novel device architectures, reliability testing under harsh conditions, and the integration of diamond with other 2D materials and oxides for next-generation optoelectronic and nanoscale devices.
Professor Chanhee Chae's research lab specializes in veterinary virology and parasitology, with a primary focus on economically significant pathogens affecting swine, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and Isospora suis. The lab conducts molecular diagnostics, histopathological studies, and retrospective epidemiological analyses to understand disease mechanisms, improve detection methods, and support effective disease control strategies in swine populations. Their work emphasizes the development and application of molecular techniques such as in situ hybridization and RT-PCR for viral and parasitic detection in clinical and field samples.
Professor Sun Kim's research lab specializes in computational and systems biology, focusing on the regulatory roles of non-coding RNAs—particularly microRNAs—and their impact on gene expression networks in development and disease. The lab develops advanced bioinformatics tools, such as MMIA and DeepFam, to integrate multi-omics data and predict molecular interactions, including compound-protein interactions and transcription factor networks. A key focus is understanding molecular mechanisms underlying complex phenotypes, such as drug response in cancer and drought resistance in transgenic crops. The lab combines machine learning, systems biology, and high-throughput sequencing data to uncover regulatory pathways and support translational research.
Professor Kwang-Won Lee's research lab focuses on bioactive natural products and their therapeutic applications, particularly in immunomodulation, mycotoxin toxicity, and metabolic disease prevention. The lab investigates bioactive compounds such as fucoidan, plant extracts, and essential fatty acids to understand their mechanisms in enhancing immune function, reducing oxidative stress, and lowering cholesterol. Key research directions include the development of natural immunostimulants, inhibitors of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), and functional components from traditional medicinal plants and food sources. The lab integrates in vitro and in vivo models to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these compounds for potential clinical applications in diabetes, aging-related disorders, and liver diseases.
