探索全球顶尖大学的研究室——研究领域与主要论文一览无余。
Professor Yutaka Ie's research lab specializes in the design and synthesis of novel organic semiconducting materials for next-generation electronic and optoelectronic applications. The lab focuses on developing π-conjugated molecules and polymers with tailored electronic structures—particularly n-type and p-type semiconductors—through strategic molecular engineering involving electron-deficient units, bridging groups, and heterocyclic frameworks. Key research directions include the development of air-stable organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), single-molecule junctions for molecular electronics, and low-bandgap copolymers for organic photovoltaics. The lab combines synthetic chemistry with advanced characterization techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, X-ray crystallography, and spectroscopy to establish structure-property relationships.
Professor Hikaru Takeuchi's research lab specializes in cognitive neuroscience, focusing on the neural underpinnings of higher-order cognitive functions such as working memory, processing speed, creativity, and emotional intelligence. The lab employs advanced neuroimaging techniques—particularly structural and functional MRI, voxel-based morphometry (VBM), and functional connectivity analyses—to investigate how brain structure and function change in response to cognitive training, developmental factors, and individual differences. A central theme is understanding neuroplasticity across the lifespan, from childhood TV exposure to aging-related cognitive decline, and how these changes relate to real-world cognitive performance and mental health. The lab also explores the structural brain correlates of personality and emotional regulation, bridging cognitive psychology and neuroscience.
Professor Yung-Eun Sung's research lab specializes in advanced materials for sustainable energy conversion and storage, with a strong focus on electrocatalysts for fuel cells, batteries, and solar energy conversion. Key research directions include the design and synthesis of non-precious metal and single-atom catalysts for oxygen reduction and hydrogen peroxide production, as well as innovative electrode architectures for lithium-sulfur batteries and dye-sensitized solar cells. The lab emphasizes structure-property relationships in nanostructured materials to enhance activity, selectivity, and durability in electrochemical systems.
Professor Jae-Joon Song's research lab specializes in rock mechanics and fluid flow characterization in porous media, with a strong focus on geological CO₂ storage, non-Darcy flow, and pore-scale modeling. The lab integrates advanced imaging techniques such as micro-CT scanning with experimental mechanics and computational modeling to investigate fluid-rock interactions, permeability evolution, and failure mechanisms in fractured and porous rocks. Key research directions include the development of pore channel models from reconstructed microstructures, effective pressure law applications under varying confining and pore pressures, and the analysis of inertial flow effects using the Forchheimer equation. The lab also explores 3D-printed rock analogs to simulate natural rock behavior under controlled conditions, enabling detailed study of crack propagation and strain localization.
Professor Inkyung Jung's research lab specializes in statistical methodology for spatial and temporal cluster detection, with a strong focus on developing advanced scan statistics for diverse data types such as ordinal, multinomial, and hierarchical categorical data. The lab emphasizes methodological innovation in public health and pharmacovigilance, particularly in adapting spatial scan statistics to handle complex data structures while adjusting for covariates through generalized linear models. Their work also extends to optimizing cluster detection performance using metrics like the Gini coefficient and applying these methods to real-world health data, including disease surveillance and drug safety monitoring.
Professor W. Namkung's research lab specializes in ion channel biology, with a primary focus on TMEM16A (ANO1), a calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC). The lab investigates the molecular mechanisms, physiological roles, and pharmacological modulation of ANO1 in epithelial secretion, smooth muscle function, and cancer progression. A central direction involves the discovery and development of highly potent and selective small-molecule modulators—both inhibitors and activators—of ANO1 for therapeutic applications in diseases such as cystic fibrosis, hypertension, diarrhea, and prostate cancer. The lab employs high-throughput screening, electrophysiology, and structure-activity relationship studies to identify and optimize novel channel modulators with high specificity and low off-target effects.
Professor Woojun Park's research lab focuses on microbial pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance, and host-microbe interactions, with a particular emphasis on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial stress responses, biofilm formation, and virulence. The lab investigates how metabolic pathways such as the glyoxylate shunt and oxidative stress defense systems contribute to bacterial survival under host and antibiotic stress. Additionally, the lab explores the role of iron metabolism and redox homeostasis in antibiotic action, as well as the impact of environmental and host factors on microbial community dynamics and disease progression.
Professor Gyoujin Cho's research lab specializes in the development of high-performance, low-cost, and scalable printed electronics for next-generation flexible and wearable devices. The lab focuses on roll-to-roll (R2R) gravure printing technologies to enable large-area, high-yield fabrication of functional electronic components such as sensors, thin-film transistors, and rectennas. Key research directions include the design of advanced printable inks—particularly based on high-purity semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes and conductive polymers—along with robust encapsulation strategies to enhance device stability under real-world environmental conditions. The ultimate goal is to enable ubiquitous, disposable, and energy-efficient smart electronics for applications in health monitoring, IoT, and wearable systems.
Professor Atsushi Kumanogoh's research lab focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying immune regulation, particularly the roles of costimulatory molecules such as CD40-CD40L and CD100 in adaptive immunity. The lab investigates how these molecules regulate T cell differentiation, dendritic cell maturation, and the development of autoimmune diseases. Their work spans from basic immunological mechanisms to translational insights into human immunodeficiencies and autoimmune disorders.
Professor Sivakumar Gowthaman's research lab specializes in sustainable geotechnical engineering with a focus on bio-cementation and biological soil stabilization techniques. The lab explores innovative, eco-friendly alternatives to conventional soil improvement methods, particularly Microbial-Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP), to enhance soil strength, durability, and environmental resilience. Key research directions include the long-term performance of bio-cemented soils under environmental stressors such as freeze-thaw cycles, wet-dry cycles, and acid rain, as well as the development of low-cost, sustainable biocementation processes using indigenous microbes and waste-derived materials. The lab also investigates novel biocementation pathways, such as calcium phosphate precipitation, to mitigate environmental impacts associated with traditional urea-based methods.
Professor Ki Jun Jeong's research lab specializes in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering of industrial microorganisms, with a primary focus on *Corynebacterium glutamicum* and *Escherichia coli*. The lab develops advanced genetic tools—such as synthetic promoters and signal peptides—to enhance microbial cell factories for the efficient production of high-value chemicals, amino acids, and recombinant proteins. Key research directions include cofactor-free photo-biocatalysis using engineered P450 systems, metabolic pathway optimization for sustainable chemical production (e.g., ectoine and cinnamaldehyde), and high-density protein secretion for industrial bioproduction. The lab integrates synthetic biology, systems metabolic engineering, and bioprocess optimization to design robust microbial platforms for biotechnology applications.
Professor Justin Y. Jeon's research lab focuses on metabolic health, particularly the interplay between obesity, type 2 diabetes, and lifestyle interventions. The lab investigates hormonal regulation (e.g., adiponectin, leptin, chemerin, MCH) in relation to body composition, insulin sensitivity, and energy metabolism in both clinical populations and animal models. Key research directions include the metabolic benefits of structured exercise programs in obese adolescents, diabetic patients, and cancer survivors, as well as the role of neuroendocrine pathways in long-term metabolic health and longevity.
Professor Ji-Hyuk Park's research lab specializes in geriatric health and wellness, focusing on improving the quality of life and mental health of older adults through lifestyle interventions, cognitive screening, and technology-based therapies. The lab investigates the impact of physical activity, leisure participation, and digital exercise programs—such as Nintendo Wii-based interventions—on chronic conditions like low back pain and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A key focus is on developing and validating reliable, clinically applicable tools for assessing multifaceted lifestyles and cognitive function in aging populations.
Professor Jun Sung Kim's research lab specializes in the design and application of two-dimensional and van der Waals heterostructures for next-generation spintronic and optoelectronic devices. The lab focuses on leveraging atomically thin materials, particularly topological insulators and transition metal dichalcogenides, to achieve efficient spin-orbit torque and enhanced fluorescence for advanced imaging and sensing. A key research direction involves engineering heterostructures with atomically sharp interfaces to minimize current leakage and maximize charge-to-spin conversion efficiency at room temperature. The lab also explores multimodal nanoprobes for biomedical diagnostics and cell tracking, integrating nanomaterials with optical and magnetic functionalities.
Professor Jin-Sol Lee's research lab focuses on the impacts of environmental stressors—particularly ocean acidification and metal pollutants—on aquatic invertebrates, with a strong emphasis on rotifers as model organisms. The lab investigates molecular defense mechanisms, including glutathione S-transferases and mitochondrial genome organization, to understand oxidative stress responses and multigenerational adaptation. Additionally, the lab explores data-driven approaches in machine learning, particularly open-set recognition and data-dependent capacity analysis in neural networks, to address unknown-class detection in real-world AI applications. These interdisciplinary efforts bridge environmental toxicology and computational intelligence, aiming to uncover biological resilience and improve model robustness in complex systems.
Professor Kyungmin Huh's research lab focuses on infectious diseases, particularly respiratory infections and emerging viral threats in the Asia-Pacific region. The lab investigates the impact of public health interventions such as non-pharmaceutical measures on respiratory disease burden, evaluates vaccine effectiveness—especially for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome—and examines the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens like CA-MRSA. The research integrates population-based epidemiological studies with public health policy implications, emphasizing real-world effectiveness of vaccines and antiviral treatments.
Professor Semin Lee's research lab focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying human diseases through advanced genomics, bioinformatics, and systems biology approaches. Key research directions include somatic mosaicism in the human brain, cancer immunotherapy, and the role of the oral microbiome in chronic inflammatory diseases such as periodontitis and dental caries. The lab integrates single-cell sequencing, machine learning, and multi-omics technologies to uncover disease mechanisms and identify novel therapeutic targets.
Professor Takaaki Konuma's research lab focuses on improving outcomes in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, particularly cord blood transplantation (CBT), with an emphasis on overcoming challenges related to delayed engraftment, graft failure, and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The lab investigates the biological impact of cellular components in cord blood units—such as total nucleated cells, CD34+ cells, and colony-forming units—on transplant success, while also exploring epigenetic regulation of hematopoietic stem cells through Polycomb group proteins. Additionally, the lab examines immune reconstitution, especially mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, and their role in post-transplant complications like chronic GVHD. Their work integrates clinical data from large-scale Japanese registries to identify modifiable factors that improve survival and reduce early mortality in adult patients.
Professor Yoshihisa Koyama's research lab focuses on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation and serotonin receptor function in the central nervous system. The lab investigates how systemic inflammation from peripheral organs contributes to neurological and psychiatric disorders, with a particular emphasis on the role of immune activation in brain pathology. Additionally, the lab conducts detailed neuroanatomical studies to map the distribution and function of serotonin type 3 receptors (5-HT3R), which are critical for synaptic transmission and emotional regulation. These studies aim to uncover novel therapeutic targets for brain disorders linked to inflammation and neurotransmitter dysfunction.
Professor Kunihiko Nishino's research lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms of multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, particularly Salmonella and Escherichia coli. The lab investigates drug efflux systems, including major families such as RND, MFS, MATE, and ABC transporters, and their regulation by transcriptional regulators like RamA, EvgA, and BaeSR. A central theme is understanding how environmental signals such as indole and bile induce efflux pump expression, contributing to antibiotic resistance and bacterial virulence. The lab also explores structural and functional insights into efflux pumps to identify targets for novel efflux pump inhibitors.
