Explore research labs at leading universities worldwide — research fields and key papers at a glance.
Professor Atsushi Minami's research lab specializes in natural product biosynthesis, with a focus on terpene and polyether antibiotic pathways in fungi. The lab employs genome mining, enzymology, and synthetic biology approaches to identify and characterize novel terpene synthases, including cyclopentane-forming terpene synthases and unique sesquiterpene synthases involved in phytohormone-like compound biosynthesis. They also investigate flavin-containing monooxygenases in polyether antibiotic formation and engineer glycosyltransferases for glycoside library synthesis.
Professor Nakwon Kwak's research lab specializes in clinical and translational research in infectious diseases, with a primary focus on tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. The lab investigates treatment outcomes, diagnostic accuracy, and antimicrobial resistance in drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis, including multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and *Mycobacterium abscessus* pulmonary disease. Their work emphasizes real-world clinical data, including meta-analyses and retrospective cohort studies, to evaluate the effectiveness of novel therapies such as later-generation fluoroquinolones and linezolid, and to optimize diagnostic strategies like the Xpert MTB/RIF assay. The lab also contributes to public health policy by analyzing the impact of infectious disease outbreaks on TB notification rates and diagnostic practices.
Professor Kyoungsik Yu's research lab specializes in nanophotonics, optoelectronics, and 2D materials, focusing on the development of ultra-compact photonic devices and advanced optical materials. Key research directions include subwavelength laser systems using metallodielectric cavities, high-efficiency light coupling in integrated photonic circuits, transparent radiative cooling windows, and heterostructure-based photodetectors leveraging 2D materials like MoS₂ and h-BN. The lab also explores novel optical coding schemes for high-capacity optical communication networks. These interdisciplinary efforts aim to advance on-chip optical integration, energy-efficient lighting and cooling, and next-generation quantum and photonic technologies.
Professor Kwan H. Lee's research lab specializes in the development of advanced biosensors and nanoscale devices for point-of-care diagnostics and energy applications. The lab focuses on integrating nanotechnology, optomechanics, and machine learning to create highly sensitive, portable, and reliable sensing platforms for clinical and environmental use. Key research directions include field-effect biosensors, multimarker urinary biosensors with machine learning integration, and optoelectromechanical systems for ultrasensitive detection. The lab also explores novel materials and device architectures for organic photovoltaics and immunodetection, emphasizing real-world applicability and performance in complex biological environments.
Professor Ju Hee Ryu's research lab specializes in the design and application of advanced nanomaterials for biomedical diagnostics and therapeutics. The lab focuses on engineering DNA-based nanostructures and stimuli-responsive nanoparticles to enhance targeted drug delivery, improve cancer imaging, and overcome biological barriers in the tumor microenvironment. Key research directions include the development of smart nanoprobes for real-time disease monitoring and the systematic investigation of cellular uptake mechanisms to optimize therapeutic efficacy.
Professor Eun-Jung Rhee's research lab focuses on metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, with a particular emphasis on diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and their interrelationships with obesity, insulin resistance, and vitamin D deficiency. The lab investigates the epidemiological trends and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these conditions, especially in Asian populations, where rapid lifestyle and dietary changes have contributed to rising disease burdens. Research also explores the role of biomarkers such as 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in metabolic health and disease risk. The lab integrates clinical, metabolic, and population-based approaches to understand the complex interplay between lifestyle, genetics, and chronic disease.
Professor Wooseok Yang's research lab specializes in developing efficient, low-cost photoelectrodes for solar hydrogen production through photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The lab focuses on earth-abundant semiconductors such as Sb₂Se₃ and CZTS, emphasizing materials design, nanostructure engineering, and solution-based processing to enhance optoelectronic performance and stability. Advanced characterization techniques, including time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy, are employed to understand and optimize carrier dynamics at the nanoscale.
Professor Ji-Beom Yoo's research lab specializes in the design, synthesis, and application of advanced nanomaterials for energy and optoelectronic technologies. Key research directions include the development of graphene-based materials with tunable electronic properties, nanostructured semiconductors for high-efficiency solar cells, and hierarchical oxide nanostructures for photocatalysis. The lab focuses on innovative synthesis methods—such as one-step exfoliation, pyrolysis, and electrospinning—to create materials with controlled morphology, crystallinity, and surface chemistry for practical device integration. Their work bridges fundamental materials science with scalable, low-cost fabrication techniques for sustainable energy solutions.
Professor Jinheung Kim's research lab specializes in bioinorganic and coordination chemistry, with a focus on non-heme iron and nickel complexes for catalytic transformations and sustainable energy applications. The lab investigates reaction mechanisms of metal-peroxide systems, particularly those involving Fe(TPA) and Ni(pbt/pbi) complexes, to understand fundamental pathways in C–H activation, alkane functionalization, and CO₂ reduction. A key emphasis is placed on developing selective, earth-abundant catalysts for green chemistry, including light-driven CO₂ conversion and ion sensing using fluorescent probes. Advanced spectroscopic and mass spectrometric techniques are employed to characterize short-lived intermediates and elucidate mechanistic details.
Professor Naoya Aizawa's research lab specializes in organic optoelectronics and molecular materials, focusing on the fundamental principles of excited-state dynamics, particularly spin-state engineering and reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) in organic semiconductors. The lab explores thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), energy transfer processes, and novel molecular design strategies to enable high-efficiency, solution-processed optoelectronic devices such as OLEDs and organic solar cells. A key innovation is the development of materials that defy conventional rules—like Hund's multiplicity rule—enabling unique photophysical behaviors and enhanced device performance.
Professor Shun-ichi Ishiuchi's research lab specializes in the spectroscopic investigation of weakly bound molecular clusters, particularly focusing on hydrogen bonding, pi-interactions, and excited-state dynamics in systems such as phenol–ammonia and phenol–argon clusters. The lab employs advanced laser spectroscopy techniques—including UV–IR–UV ion dip spectroscopy, time-resolved IR, and hole-burning—to probe the structures, isomerism, and reaction dynamics of these clusters at the molecular level. A central theme is understanding how intermolecular interactions and nuclear dynamics govern photochemical processes, including excited-state hydrogen transfer and memory effects in cluster reactivity. Their work combines high-resolution experimental measurements with high-level quantum chemical calculations to achieve atomic-level insights into cluster behavior.
Professor Naoya Kitajima's research lab specializes in theoretical particle physics and cosmology, focusing on axion and axion-like particle phenomenology, dark matter production mechanisms, and the generation of gravitational waves from cosmological phase transitions. The lab investigates non-perturbative dynamics such as tachyonic instabilities and resonance phenomena, using advanced lattice simulations to model the non-linear evolution of scalar fields in the early universe. Key research directions include the origin of dark photons as dark matter, domain wall collapse as a source of stochastic gravitational waves, and the cosmological implications of axion-like particles for cosmic birefringence and multi-band gravitational wave detection.
Professor Chul-Moon Yoo's research lab specializes in theoretical and numerical relativity, focusing on cosmological models, primordial black hole formation, and the effects of inhomogeneities in the universe. The lab investigates non-Gaussianity in primordial density perturbations, black hole lattice models, and alternative cosmologies such as Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi spacetimes to explore dark energy alternatives. Using numerical relativity and analytical methods, the lab examines gravitational lensing signatures, particularly for exotic objects like Ellis wormholes, and the global dynamics of inhomogeneous universes.
Professor Kazuhide Sato's research lab specializes in developing and applying near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) for targeted cancer treatment. The lab focuses on designing antibody-photosensitizer conjugates that enable precise tumor ablation upon light activation, minimizing systemic toxicity. Key research directions include understanding the photochemical mechanisms underlying cellular disruption, such as ligand release and membrane permeabilization, and exploring immune modulation by selectively depleting regulatory T cells (Tregs) within the tumor microenvironment. The lab also investigates the application of NIR-PIT in challenging metastatic settings, including pleural and peritoneal dissemination of lung and ovarian cancers.
Professor Takayoshi Nakamura's research lab specializes in molecular materials science, focusing on the design and synthesis of functional molecular architectures with tailored electronic, magnetic, and dynamic properties. Key research directions include the development of conductive organic thin films using Langmuir–Blodgett techniques, the construction of supramolecular systems for controlled molecular rotation, and the creation of novel metal–organic complexes with unique spin and charge transfer characteristics. The lab also explores the interplay between molecular motion and electronic/magnetic properties, aiming to bridge molecular-scale phenomena with macroscopic functionality.
Professor Young-Jun Park's research lab specializes in next-generation electronic materials and devices, with a strong focus on sustainable and biocompatible electronics, resistive memory technologies, and energy-efficient power conversion systems. The lab explores biodegradable materials like lignin for memory devices, advances halide perovskite-based optoelectronic and synaptic transistors for neuromorphic computing, and develops ultra-efficient power management circuits for IoT and wearable applications. Their work bridges materials science, device engineering, and system integration to address challenges in energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and biomedical applications.
Professor Hongyoon Choi's research lab specializes in translational biomedical imaging and molecular neuroscience, focusing on the development of advanced imaging technologies and computational models to understand neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. The lab integrates molecular imaging, deep learning, and systems biology to explore disease mechanisms, including amyloid pathology, microglial metabolism, and extracellular vesicle dynamics. A key focus is on creating non-invasive imaging biomarkers—such as those derived from PET and MRI—for early detection, disease progression monitoring, and therapeutic evaluation.
Professor Eui Jin Hwang's research lab specializes in the development and clinical validation of deep learning algorithms for medical imaging, with a primary focus on chest radiography. The lab investigates artificial intelligence applications in detecting thoracic diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and COVID-19, aiming to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in emergency and resource-limited settings. A key research direction involves evaluating the real-world performance of AI tools in clinical workflows, emphasizing their integration, interpretability, and impact on patient outcomes. The lab also explores computer-aided detection systems to support non-expert clinicians and improve diagnostic triage in underserved environments.
Professor Megalamane S. Bootharaju's research lab specializes in the design, synthesis, and structural characterization of atomically precise noble metal nanoclusters, with a focus on controlling composition, geometry, and electronic properties through innovative ligand engineering and templated synthesis strategies. The lab pioneers novel approaches such as galvanic exchange, ligand-exchange-induced growth, and hydride-based capping to create uniform, compositionally stable nanoclusters with tailored optical, electronic, and catalytic properties. A key emphasis is placed on understanding structure–property relationships and the dynamic transformation mechanisms in nanocluster systems, particularly in silver and silver-gold alloys, using advanced spectroscopic and crystallographic techniques. The lab also explores unconventional ligands, including hydrides and phosphines, to expand the chemical space of atomically precise nanomaterials.
Professor Byeong-Su Kim's research lab specializes in the design and fabrication of advanced functional nanomaterials for biomedical and energy applications. The lab focuses on developing smart drug delivery systems using stimuli-responsive nanostructures, such as polymer micelles and carbon-based nanomaterials, for targeted cancer therapy and imaging. Key research directions include the integration of magnetic nanoparticles, graphene oxide, and quantum dots into hybrid nanoconstructs for enhanced therapeutic and diagnostic performance. The lab also explores nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage, particularly in zinc–air batteries and supercapacitors, emphasizing synergistic effects in hybrid electrocatalysts and conductive electrodes.
