Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology · Energy
Professor Yong Hwan Kim's research lab specializes in bioinspired and biocatalytic technologies for sustainable chemical synthesis and energy conversion. The lab focuses on engineering redox enzymes—such as lignin peroxidase, formate dehydrogenase, and carbon monoxide dehydrogenase—for applications in cosmetic biotechnology, carbon dioxide fixation, and lignin valorization. Key research directions include the development of photoelectrochemical systems that integrate biocatalysts with semiconductors to produce high-value chemicals from CO₂, waste lignin, and other renewable feedstocks under mild conditions. The lab also investigates enzyme structure-function relationships, particularly substrate tunneling mechanisms, to rationally design more efficient biocatalysts for industrial use.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Lignin peroxidase has high potential as ingredient in skin whitening cosmetics due to its high redox potential to oxidize recalcitrant melanin. Currently crude mixtures of lignin peroxidase from fungal fermentation are usually applied to cosmetics due to the intrinsic difficulties of expression and purification. However, the present study focused on heterologous expression and purification of lignin peroxidase isozyme H8 (LiPH8) from Phanerochaete chrysosporium and was further used for melanin d
We report on a silicon-based photoelectrochemical cell that integrates a formate dehydrogenase from Thiobacillus sp. (TsFDH) to convert CO2 to formate using water as an electron donor under visible light irradiation and an applied bias. Our current study suggests that the deliberate integration of biocatalysis to a light-harvesting platform could provide an opportunity to synthesize valuable chemicals with the use of earth-abundant materials and sustainable resources.
A bias-free photoelectrochemical oxidation of lignin in a tandem photoanode/PV structure is coupled with bioelectrocatalytic reductions (<italic>e.g.</italic>, CO<sub>2</sub> to formate and α-ketoglutarate to <sc>l</sc>-glutamate).
Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH), formate dehydrogenase (FDH), hydrogenase (H2ase), and nitrogenase (N2ase) are crucial enzymatic catalysts that facilitate the conversion of industrially significant gases such as CO, CO<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>, and N<sub>2</sub>. The tunnels in the gas-converting enzymes serve as conduits for these low molecular weight gases to access deeply buried catalytic sites. The identification of the substrate tunnels is imperative for comprehending the substrate s
A new catalytic process was developed to produce raw materials for nylon production utilizing 100% of waste lignin emitted from industrial processes.
An efficient asymmetric synthesis of pyranonaphthoquinones via Michael addition and oxo‐Michael cyclization sequence of 2‐hydroxy‐1,4‐naphthoquinone with ( E )‐2‐nitroallylic acetates has been developed. The synthetically useful chiral pyranonaphthoquinone derivatives were obtained in moderate to high yields and high enantioselectivities. This approach offers a facile way to prepare chiral pyranonaphthoquinone derivatives with a wide range of functional group tolerance.
This study introduces a novel approach for CO2 reduction to formate using the recombinant formate dehydrogenase 1 (MeFDH1) from Methylorubrum extorquens AM1 as biocatalyst, addressing challenges in activity, productivity, and long-term stability of enzyme. We demonstrate that immobilized MeFDH1 supported by electrochemical reaction system enhances formate production and stability, achieving over 1.7 M concentration with an initial rate of 20 mM/h and near-unity Faradaic efficiency for over 200 h
It is challenging to capture carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), a major greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, due to its high chemical stability. One potential practical solution to eliminate CO<sub>2</sub> is to convert CO<sub>2</sub> into formate using hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) (CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation), which can be accomplished with inexpensive hydrogen from sustainable sources. While industrial flue gas could provide an adequate source of hydrogen, a suitable catalyst is needed that can toler
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