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.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
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Selected Papers
4Plants 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
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
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
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
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