Explore research labs at leading universities worldwide — research fields and key papers at a glance.
Professor Young Seo Cho's research lab specializes in liver and spleen elastography, focusing on noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis and portal hypertension using shear wave elastography (SWE) and supersonic shear imaging (SSI). The lab investigates quantitative imaging biomarkers such as spleen stiffness, liver stiffness, and composite scores (e.g., SSPS, LSPS) to predict esophageal varices and avoid invasive procedures like endoscopy. Their work emphasizes evidence-based clinical guidelines, diagnostic accuracy, and quality control in elastography, particularly in patients with chronic liver disease and hepatitis B-related cirrhosis. The lab also contributes to standardizing imaging protocols and improving diagnostic performance through advanced ultrasound techniques and consensus-driven guidelines.
Professor Seung Hwan Song's research lab focuses on translational and clinical research in autoimmune diseases, critical care medicine, and pediatric and adult surgical outcomes. The lab investigates immune dysregulation in systemic lupus erythematosus, particularly the role of adipokines like leptin and regulatory T cells, while also exploring advanced life support strategies such as VV-ECMO in post-cardiac surgery ARDS. Additionally, the lab examines long-term outcomes in kidney transplantation and innovative pain management techniques in spinal and chest wall surgery, including cryoanalgesia in minimally invasive pectus excavatum repair. The integration of novel imaging techniques, such as 3D body surface scanning, for musculoskeletal deformities like pectus carinatum further highlights the lab’s commitment to improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy in pediatric and adult populations.
Professor Woo-yeon Hwang's research lab focuses on gynecological oncology and minimally invasive surgical techniques, with a strong emphasis on improving diagnostic accuracy, developing novel therapeutic agents for uterine fibroids, and evaluating treatment outcomes in gynecologic cancers. The lab investigates pharmacological agents such as Rhus verniciflua Stokes and difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) for their anti-tumor effects, particularly in ovarian and endometrial cancers, while also exploring the risks of complications like fistulas in patients receiving bevacizumab. Additionally, the lab is actively involved in advancing transvaginal natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) for improved cosmetic and functional outcomes in gynecologic and urological surgeries.
Professor Se-Hyun Kwon's research lab focuses on respiratory medicine and translational pulmonary research, with a strong emphasis on interstitial lung diseases, lung fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The lab investigates novel therapeutic strategies, including repurposed drugs like ezetimibe for autophagy modulation in fibrotic lung diseases, and explores the impact of comorbidities such as depression in COPD patients. Additionally, the lab examines diagnostic challenges in early lung cancer and nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD), integrating clinical and molecular approaches with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in medical imaging.
Professor Byungsik Hong's research lab specializes in the development and characterization of advanced radiation detectors for high-energy physics and medical imaging applications. The lab focuses on resistive plate chambers (RPCs) and solid-state photomultipliers (SSPMs), with particular emphasis on their performance under extreme conditions such as high magnetic fields, high radiation environments, and intense particle fluxes. Key research directions include detector design optimization, beam-test validation, and Monte Carlo simulations to predict detector responses in complex backgrounds, such as those found in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and positron emission tomography (PET) scanners.
Professor Yong Chang Kim's research lab specializes in urban and housing rights within the broader framework of human rights and sustainable development. The lab focuses on international human rights law, particularly the legal and policy dimensions of housing as a fundamental right, with comparative analysis of global norms and national implementations. It also investigates urban governance, spatial justice, and the socio-legal impacts of urban redevelopment and land acquisition, especially in the context of neoliberal urbanization and inequality. The lab critically examines the role of state power, land policy, and financial mechanisms in shaping urban space and social equity.
Professor Jae Hwan Song's research lab focuses on molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases, cancer, and age-related disorders, with a central emphasis on key regulatory proteins such as PPARγ, FADD, and ARF. The lab investigates cellular signaling pathways involving inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy, aiming to identify novel therapeutic targets. Using integrative approaches combining molecular biology, biochemistry, and in vivo models, the lab explores the protective roles of natural compounds and fungal extracts in preventing and treating chronic diseases.
Professor Sooyoung Cha's research lab specializes in program analysis and software testing, with a strong focus on improving the reliability and coverage of automated testing techniques for complex software systems. The lab develops advanced dynamic analysis and symbolic execution techniques—such as concolic testing, dynamic symbolic execution, and fuzzing—by integrating adaptive search heuristics, learning-based strategies, and input template mechanisms. A central theme in their work is overcoming fundamental challenges like path explosion and low code coverage through intelligent, data-driven, and adaptive testing strategies. Their research bridges the gap between theoretical testing algorithms and practical deployment in real-world software, especially in safety-critical domains.
Professor Young-Sae Kim's research lab specializes in macroeconomics and monetary economics, with a focus on inflation dynamics, price formation, and financial market behavior. The lab investigates inflation targeting, relative price variability, house price convergence, and the role of inflation expectations in economic decision-making. It also explores structural factors behind corruption and exchange rate anomalies, particularly the uncovered interest rate parity (UIP) puzzle. The lab emphasizes empirical analysis using survey data, panel data, and structural econometric modeling to understand real-world economic behavior.
Professor Hyeseung Choi's research lab focuses on public health policy, digital technology applications in pandemic response, and sustainable innovation in the context of climate change and circular economy. The lab investigates how digital technologies and institutional frameworks can enhance epidemic control, support green business model innovation in SMEs, and improve waste management systems. It also explores environmental mitigation strategies, such as biochar application in permafrost regions, to combat climate change. The research integrates social, economic, and environmental dimensions to develop proactive, technology-driven policy solutions.
Professor Jahye Ahn's research lab focuses on understanding the neurodevelopmental outcomes and brain network alterations in preterm and high-risk infants, with a particular emphasis on structural brain connectivity, neurodevelopmental disorders, and early prediction of neonatal complications. The lab integrates advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as diffusion MRI and graph theory, with machine learning models to investigate brain network topologies and predict clinical outcomes in very low birth weight infants. Key research directions include the impact of preterm birth on brain development, the role of early interventions like surgical ligation in hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus, and the long-term neurodevelopmental trajectories of preterm infants with conditions such as retinopathy of prematurity and autism spectrum disorder.
Professor Kun-Hyung Bae's research lab specializes in orthopedic surgery and musculoskeletal health, with a strong focus on improving surgical outcomes and reducing complications in both pediatric and adult populations. The lab investigates risk factors for long-term joint deterioration after meniscal surgery, evaluates regional anesthesia techniques to minimize opioid use in children, and explores imaging-based anatomical variations such as TT-TG distance in pediatric knee development. Additionally, the lab examines the impact of systemic factors like BMI on fracture risk in the aging population, emphasizing evidence-based, patient-centered surgical strategies.
Professor Yeonkyung Lee's research lab focuses on media and urban history, particularly examining the intersection of digital communication, social media practices, and urban transformation in East Asia. The lab investigates how social media platforms like Twitter shape audience engagement with television content, while also exploring the historical development of modern urban spaces in Seoul and Taipei under Japanese colonial rule. Research spans from 19th-century public health reforms and urban sanitation in Seoul to the colonial-era planning of modern boulevards and street environments, emphasizing spatial, social, and infrastructural changes. The lab also engages in technical innovation, such as improving QR code recognition algorithms through multi-directional scanning and morphological operations.
Professor Sung-soo Lim's research lab specializes in agricultural and applied economics, with a strong focus on consumer behavior, food policy, and international trade. The lab investigates critical issues such as consumer willingness to pay for traceable and novel food products, including gene-edited and imported beef, as well as the economic impacts of international regulatory frameworks like the EU’s carding system for fisheries and tariff-rate quotas in WTO negotiations. Research also extends to health economics, particularly the labor market implications of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. The lab employs advanced econometric methods, including conjoint analysis and instrumental variable estimation, to inform policy and market strategies.
Professor Yongsung Ko's research lab focuses on host-pathogen interactions, particularly in infectious diseases and asthma immunopathology. The lab investigates the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from Gram-negative bacteria, such as *Klebsiella pneumoniae*, as potential vaccine candidates to induce innate immunity and protect against lethal infections. Additionally, the lab explores the immunological mechanisms underlying severe asthma phenotypes, especially non-eosinophilic and virus-associated asthma, with a focus on cytokines (e.g., IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-13), growth factors (e.g., FGF2), and nitric oxide synthases. The lab also develops novel peptide-based therapeutics targeting angiogenesis in cancer, particularly VEGF inhibitors with enhanced stability and efficacy.
Professor Jang-Ik Lee's research lab specializes in biomedical engineering and clinical physiology, focusing on the development of novel, minimally invasive monitoring techniques for cardiovascular and neurological disorders. The lab investigates physiological signal acquisition using integrated bioelectrical sensing, such as ECG-BIM for pulse transit time measurement, and explores surgical and pharmacological interventions for urological and neurological complications. Key research directions include wearable cardiovascular monitoring, nerve entrapment syndromes, and post-surgical recovery in conditions like post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction and occipital neuralgia.
Professor Sejung Choi's research lab specializes in human-computer interaction, digital consumer behavior, and emerging technology adoption, with a strong focus on understanding user perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions toward intelligent and interactive digital services. The lab investigates how personal characteristics, perceived usability, emotional engagement, and social factors influence user satisfaction and sustained usage of technologies such as AI speakers, curation shopping platforms, online video services, and metaverse environments. By integrating theories like the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Uses and Gratifications Theory, and the CASA paradigm, the lab explores both functional and emotional dimensions of technology acceptance in real-world digital contexts.
Professor Hwang Lee's research lab specializes in competition law, industrial regulation, and digital platform governance, with a strong focus on market dominance, unfair trade practices, and the legal challenges posed by standard-essential patents and intellectual property in technology-driven markets. The lab investigates the intersection of antitrust law, corporate conduct, and regulatory frameworks—particularly in the context of Korea’s evolving digital economy and international competition policy trends. Key research directions include the enforcement of FRAND commitments, the legitimacy of refusal-to-deal practices, and the application of competition law to emerging issues such as search neutrality and insurance industry cartels.
Professor Cuz Potter's research lab focuses on the spatial, political, and socio-economic dimensions of development, with a particular emphasis on territorial embeddedness, global production systems, and the impacts of policy transfer and austerity on marginalized communities. The lab investigates how industrial and urban transformations—such as port restructuring, peri-urban gentrification, and artisanal mining—reshape livelihoods, household dynamics, and social inequality. It also explores the role of institutional and cultural factors in shaping development outcomes, especially in the Global South and post-development contexts.
Professor Heesun Chung's research lab specializes in auditing, earnings management, and corporate governance, with a particular focus on the strategic behavior of firms and auditors in response to financial reporting incentives. The lab investigates opinion shopping, classification shifting, and the impact of accounting standards and debt financing on earnings management, especially in the context of Korean firms and regulatory environments. Key research directions include the role of auditor choice, the consequences of audit quality, and the influence of tax and governance incentives on financial reporting decisions. The lab employs rigorous empirical methods, including event studies and difference-in-differences analysis, to assess the real-world implications of these behaviors.
