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Ji-O Lee

Pohang University of Science and Technology · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

About the Lab

Professor Ji-O Lee's research lab focuses on plant secondary metabolism, particularly the molecular regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis and its integration with cellular energy sensing through the SnRK1 kinase pathway. The lab also explores innovative cancer immunotherapy strategies by engineering tumor cells to express membrane-bound or secreted forms of cytokines such as IL-7 and IFNγ to enhance T cell activation and antitumor immunity. Their work bridges plant molecular biology and translational immunology, aiming to uncover fundamental regulatory mechanisms and develop novel therapeutic approaches. The lab employs molecular genetics, cell biology, and immunological assays to dissect signaling networks in both plants and cancer models.

anthocyanin biosynthesisSnRK1 kinasecancer immunotherapymembrane-bound cytokinesT cell activation

Research Overview

Papers
4
Total Citations
67
Papers (5y)
4
Primary Field
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
4total
2022
2023
2025
Citations per year (5y)
67total
202220232025

Selected Papers

4
1
Article|61 citations·2023
SnRK1 inhibits anthocyanin biosynthesis through both transcriptional regulation and direct phosphorylation and dissociation of the MYB / bHLH / TTG1 MBW complex
Ellen Broucke, Tuong Vi T. Dang, Yi Li, Sander Hulsmans, Jelle Van Leene, Geert De Jaeger, Ildoo Hwang, Wim Van den Ende, Filip Rolland
SJR Q1The Plant JournalOA

Plants have evolved an extensive specialized secondary metabolism. The colorful flavonoid anthocyanins, for example, not only stimulate flower pollination and seed dispersal, but also protect different tissues against high light, UV and oxidative stress. Their biosynthesis is highly regulated by environmental and developmental cues and induced by high sucrose levels. Expression of the biosynthetic enzymes involved is controlled by a transcriptional MBW complex, comprising (R2R3) MYB- and bHLH-ty

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
2
Preprint|6 citations·2022
SnRK1 inhibits anthocyanin biosynthesis through both transcriptional regulation and direct phosphorylation and dissociation of the MYB/bHLH/TTG1 MBW complex
Ellen Broucke, Tuong Vi T. Dang, Yi Li, Sander Hulsmans, Jelle Van Leene, Geert De Jaeger, Ildoo Hwang, Wim Van den Ende, Filip Rolland
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)OA

Abstract Plants have evolved an extensive specialized secondary metabolism. The colorful flavonoid anthocyanins, for example, not only stimulate flower pollination and seed dispersal but also protect different tissues against high light, UV- and oxidative stress. Their biosynthesis is highly regulated by environmental and developmental cues and induced by high sucrose levels. Expression of the biosynthetic enzymes involved is controlled by a transcriptional MBW complex, comprising (R2R3) MYB- an

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
3
Article|0 citations·2025
The anti-tumor effect of the IFNγ/Fas chimera expressed on CT26 tumor cells
전서연, 신희수, 이혜영, 이지오, 김영상

Interferon gamma (IFNγ) is well-known for its ability to stimulate immune cells in response to pathogen infections and cancer. To develop an effective cancer therapeutic vaccine, CT26 colon carcinoma cells were genetically modified to express IFNγ either as a secreted form (sIFNγ) or as a membrane-bound form. For the membrane-bound expression, IFNγ was fused with Fas (mbIFNγ/Fas), incorporating the extracellular cysteine-rich domains, transmembrane, and cytoplasmic domains of Fas. The tumor cell

4
Article|0 citations·2025
Tumor cells ectopically expressing the membrane-bound form of IL-7 develop an antitumor immune response efficiently in a colon carcinoma model
Hee-Su Shin, Hye Jin Kim, Soon-Gyu Kwon, Hayyoung Lee, 이지오, Young Sang Kim

Various approaches employing cytokines and cytokine gene–modified tumor cells have been explored to induce antitumor responses, yet their widespread application has been limited due to efficacy concerns and adverse effects. In this study, interleukin-7 was engineered for expression both as a natural secretory form (sIL-7) and as a membrane-bound form fused with the B7.1 type I transmembrane protein (mbIL-7/B7) on CT26 colon cancer cells. Analysis of the resulting cell clones demonstrated that ec

Research Areas

Molecular Biology

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