Explore research labs at leading universities worldwide — research fields and key papers at a glance.
Professor Lee-Joon Kim's research lab specializes in clinical oncology and health services research, with a focus on improving outcomes in head and neck, breast, and gynecologic cancers. The lab leverages large population-based databases such as SEER to investigate trends in cancer incidence, survival, and treatment efficacy, particularly in locally advanced and metastatic disease. Key research directions include evaluating the impact of radiotherapy and surgical interventions on survival, developing machine learning models for postoperative risk prediction, and identifying prognostic factors for recurrence and mortality. The lab emphasizes evidence-based decision-making through rigorous statistical analysis and real-world data applications.
Professor Byung Jun Jeon's research lab specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery, with a focus on improving outcomes in breast reconstruction and managing complications related to flap surgery. The lab investigates donor-site morbidities such as seroma formation, drain duration, and abdominal complications following flap procedures like the DIEP flap, particularly in Asian populations with distinct anatomical and physiological characteristics. Additionally, the lab explores regenerative approaches using adipose-derived stem cells for soft tissue repair and skin rejuvenation, highlighting translational research in tissue engineering and wound healing.
Professor Hyonjin Kim's research lab focuses on plant physiology and horticultural science, particularly on optimizing growth and flowering in ornamental plants such as dwarf purple loosestrife through photoperiod manipulation. The lab also investigates plant stress responses and seed germination enhancement using priming techniques, especially under suboptimal temperature conditions. In addition, the lab contributes to agricultural education research, examining psychological and social factors like locus of control among agricultural high school students. The integration of biological, agricultural, and structural engineering research—evidenced by studies on Fusarium pathogens and steel-concrete composite columns—demonstrates a multidisciplinary approach to sustainable agriculture and infrastructure.
Professor Sung Woo Moon's research lab specializes in interstitial lung diseases, with a focus on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and related conditions such as chronic fibrotic lung diseases. The lab investigates longitudinal changes in clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes in pulmonary fibrosis, leveraging nationwide cohort studies and registries to improve patient care. Research also extends to comorbid conditions, including the intersection of liver disease (NAFLD) and obstructive lung disease, as well as health disparities in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) outcomes across racial and ethnic groups. The lab emphasizes clinical epidemiology, health disparities, and translational research to enhance standardization and personalized management of lung diseases.
Professor Eun Hee Lee's research lab specializes in molecular oncology and cancer biology, with a focus on identifying molecular biomarkers and signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. The lab investigates non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs, and their roles in lung and neuroendocrine tumors, as well as the regulatory functions of stress-response proteins like HSP90 isoforms and cell-cycle regulators in brain and lung cancers. They also explore the molecular mechanisms underlying scar formation and the therapeutic effects of silicone gel sheets on growth factor modulation in fibrotic skin disorders. Their work integrates molecular pathology with clinical outcomes to identify potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets in aggressive cancers and fibrotic diseases.
Professor Chae-Seon Hong's research lab specializes in advancing radiation oncology through innovative treatment planning, patient-specific device development, and predictive modeling. The lab focuses on improving the precision and safety of radiation therapy for cancer patients, particularly in head and neck and breast cancers, by optimizing treatment delivery techniques such as IMRT and VMAT. Key research directions include the development of 3D-printed patient-specific devices—like tongue displacement devices—to reduce organ-at-risk doses, the creation of AI-driven tools for automated radiation dermatitis assessment, and the establishment of robust NTCP models for predicting treatment complications such as lymphedema. The lab integrates medical physics, radiation oncology, and biomedical engineering to enhance clinical outcomes and treatment efficiency.
Professor Gookhoon Kim's research lab focuses on computer architecture and system-level optimization, with a strong emphasis on addressing memory bandwidth bottlenecks in modern computing systems. The lab explores innovative 3D-stacked memory architectures, Near-Data Processing (NDP), and specialized interconnect designs—such as memory-centric networks and HMC-based systems—to enhance performance and energy efficiency. Key research directions include intelligent workload offloading to processing-in-memory units, scalable data mapping across multiple memory stacks, and power-aware on-chip network design. The lab also investigates hardware-software co-design for emerging workloads like large language models, particularly in accelerating bandwidth-intensive operations like GEMV computations.
Professor Eunyoung Suh's research lab focuses on aging, microbiome dynamics, and health promotion in older adults, with a particular emphasis on gut microbiota in centenarians and their role in longevity. The lab also investigates the interplay between chronic inflammation, metabolic factors like free fatty acids, and skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis. Additionally, the lab explores healthcare professional well-being, particularly oncology nurses’ psychological health, and the integration of simulation-based education in nursing training. These interdisciplinary efforts aim to improve health outcomes across the lifespan through biological, clinical, and educational innovations.
Professor Tae Woo Kim's research lab specializes in the development of advanced fluorescent and mass spectrometry-based probes for biomedical applications, with a focus on intracellular organelle targeting—particularly the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)—and the detection of redox and membrane dynamics. The lab integrates synthetic chemistry, chemical biology, and analytical chemistry to design selective probes for glutathione and membrane fluidity, enabling real-time monitoring of cellular stress and metabolic disorders. Additionally, the lab contributes to the study of traditional ritual communities in Korea, reflecting an interdisciplinary interest in cultural heritage and historical sociology.
Professor Soo Hyun Seo's research lab specializes in clinical and molecular genetics, focusing on the identification of disease-causing variants in rare monogenic disorders such as familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), and Parkinson’s disease. The lab employs next-generation sequencing and whole-genome sequencing to uncover pathogenic mutations, structural variants, and novel genes involved in retinal and neuromuscular diseases. They also integrate advanced computational and deep learning approaches, such as DCAN-Net, to enhance early diagnosis of complex conditions like skin cancer. Their work bridges genetic discovery with translational applications, aiming for improved diagnostics and personalized treatment strategies.
Professor Tae-kyung Hong's research lab specializes in regional seismic wave propagation, with a focus on Lg wave attenuation and crustal structure imaging in tectonically active regions such as the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas. The lab investigates seismicity changes induced by large distant earthquakes, particularly the stress triggering effects of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake, and conducts probabilistic analysis of historical earthquake records. Using dense seismic networks in Korea and Japan, the lab performs advanced seismic tomography to reveal lithospheric structures and tectonic imprints, especially through Pn wave travel-time tomography. Their work contributes significantly to understanding regional seismic hazards and crustal dynamics in collision and rift zones.
Professor Cheolhyeon Kwon's research lab specializes in the security and resilience of cyber-physical systems (CPS), with a strong focus on detecting and mitigating intelligent, stealthy cyber attacks—particularly in safety-critical systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The lab develops advanced control and estimation techniques that integrate cyber and physical system dynamics to ensure system safety under adversarial conditions. Key research directions include reachability analysis for attack resilience, robust hybrid control design, and communication-efficient distributed estimation under cyber threats.
Professor Aram Han's research lab focuses on clinical and translational research in infectious diseases and oncology, with a strong emphasis on HIV management, cancer surgery, and medication adherence in transplant and chronic disease populations. The lab investigates regional disparities in HIV-related malignancies such as Kaposi sarcoma, explores innovative digital health tools to improve treatment adherence, and examines complex surgical approaches like oncovascular surgery for advanced cancers. Additionally, the lab conducts pharmacokinetic and adherence studies in transplant recipients to optimize immunosuppressive therapy. These efforts reflect a multidisciplinary approach integrating epidemiology, clinical pharmacology, and surgical oncology.
Professor Sung-hoon Jo's research lab specializes in macroeconomics and monetary policy, with a focus on integrating financial market data—particularly the term structure of interest rates—into structural New Keynesian models. The lab develops advanced econometric methods, including no-arbitrage affine term structure models and rational expectations frameworks, to improve the identification and estimation of monetary policy rules and structural shocks. Research directions emphasize the transmission mechanism of monetary policy, the estimation of unobserved variables like inflation targets and natural interest rates, and the evaluation of central bank behavior using both macroeconomic and bond market data. The lab also contributes to theoretical econometrics, particularly in fixed point theory and its applications to economic modeling.
Professor Yoon, Susie's research lab specializes in perioperative medicine and critical care, with a strong focus on optimizing surgical outcomes through evidence-based anesthetic and ventilatory strategies. The lab investigates postoperative pain management, particularly chronic postsurgical pain after thoracic surgery, and evaluates the impact of comorbidities on outcomes in critical illnesses such as COVID-19. Key research directions include protective ventilation strategies, the role of driving pressure in mechanical ventilation, and the timing of epidural analgesia in enhancing postoperative recovery. The lab integrates clinical data, randomized trials, and systematic reviews to improve patient-centered outcomes in thoracic and general surgery populations.
Professor Jisung Shim's research lab specializes in urological surgery, with a focus on improving surgical outcomes through advanced simulation training, optimizing perioperative care, and exploring novel therapeutic approaches for urological conditions. The lab investigates robotic surgery training methodologies, the impact of intraoperative fluid management on recovery, and the role of nutritional supplements like omega-3 fatty acids in treating erectile dysfunction. Additionally, the lab contributes to clinical decision-making in high-risk bladder cancer and rare urological pathologies such as urethral stones. Their work bridges surgical innovation, patient recovery, and translational research in urology.
Professor Youngdon Kwon's research lab specializes in the theoretical and computational modeling of complex fluid dynamics, with a focus on viscoelastic fluids and polymer rheology. The lab investigates nonlinear behaviors in viscoelastic flows, including instabilities such as melt fracture, sharkskin effects, and bifurcations in shear and elongational flows, using advanced constitutive equations like Leonov, Giesekus, and Larson models. A key emphasis is placed on developing robust numerical methods—such as tensor-logarithmic formulations and decoupled time integration—for simulating highly nonlinear and unstable flow regimes in complex geometries. The lab also explores molecular-level dynamics, including end-association in telechelic chains and dielectric relaxation in dipole-inverted chains, linking macroscopic rheological behavior to microscopic chain dynamics.
Professor Jongho Jun's research lab specializes in the development of advanced nanomaterials and biotechnological solutions for environmental remediation and biomedical applications. The lab focuses on creating radiation-resistant microbial systems and functional nanomaterials for the efficient removal of toxic heavy metals and radioactive isotopes such as chromium and iodine. Additionally, the lab pioneers innovative radiolabeling strategies using novel chemistries for targeted cancer therapy and molecular imaging with PET tracers. Their interdisciplinary work bridges nanotechnology, radiochemistry, and environmental biotechnology to address global challenges in health and sustainability.
Professor Sang Jin Rhee's research lab focuses on identifying biological biomarkers and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms in mood and psychotic disorders through multi-omics approaches. The lab specializes in plasma and serum proteomics, gut microbiome analysis, and metabolic markers such as uric acid and vitamin D to uncover objective diagnostic and prognostic indicators for major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. A key research direction involves using data-driven clustering methods to identify transdiagnostic subtypes across psychiatric conditions, enhancing precision psychiatry. The lab also investigates the role of low-grade inflammation and metabolic dysregulation in modulating the relationship between biomarkers and depressive symptoms.
Professor Soo Yeon Kim's research lab specializes in advanced control systems for complex engineering processes, with a strong focus on reinforcement learning (RL)-based optimal and safe control of nonlinear dynamical systems. The lab develops novel algorithms that integrate control Lyapunov functions (CLFs) and barrier functions into RL frameworks to ensure stability and constraint satisfaction, particularly in chemical processes and aftertreatment systems for emissions control. A key research direction involves model predictive control (MPC) and state estimation techniques, such as nonlinear MPC (NMPC) and Moving Horizon Estimation (MHE), enhanced with machine learning and optimization strategies to improve computational efficiency and real-time applicability. The lab also applies these methods to real-world challenges, including water network monitoring and diesel exhaust aftertreatment systems like LNT-pSCR.
