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Sunny Kwon

Seoul National University · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

About the Lab

Professor Sunny Kwon's research lab specializes in plant nanobionics and nanosensors, focusing on the development of advanced nanomaterials for real-time, non-invasive monitoring of plant signaling and metabolism. The lab pioneers ratiometric and multiplexed nanosensors using functionalized carbon nanotubes and quantum dots to detect key biomolecules such as nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide with high sensitivity and stability. A central theme is understanding and controlling nanoparticle subcellular transport in living plants, enabling targeted delivery and bioengineering applications. The lab also explores sustainable plant-based lighting systems through engineered nanomaterials for energy-efficient, self-sustaining illumination.

plant nanobionicsnanosensorsratiometric sensingnanoparticle deliverySERS encoding

Research Overview

Papers
50
Total Citations
3,408
Papers (5y)
17
Primary Field
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
17total
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Citations per year (5y)
285total
20212022202320242025

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|593 citations·2019
Chloroplast-selective gene delivery and expression in planta using chitosan-complexed single-walled carbon nanotube carriers
Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Tedrick Thomas Salim Lew, Connor J. Sweeney, Volodymyr B. Koman, Min Hao Wong, Karen Bohmert-Tatarev, Kristi D. Snell, Jun Sung Seo, Nam‐Hai Chua, Michael S. Strano
SJR Q1Nature Nanotechnology
Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
2
Article|330 citations·2016
Lipid Exchange Envelope Penetration (LEEP) of Nanoparticles for Plant Engineering: A Universal Localization Mechanism
Min Hao Wong, Rahul Prasanna Misra, Juan Pablo Giraldo, Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Young‐Woo Son, Markita P. Landry, James W. Swan, Daniel Blankschtein, Michael S. Strano
SJR Q1Nano LettersOA

Nanoparticles offer clear advantages for both passive and active penetration into biologically important membranes. However, the uptake and localization mechanism of nanoparticles within living plants, plant cells, and organelles has yet to be elucidated.1 Here, we examine the subcellular uptake and kinetic trapping of a wide range of nanoparticles for the first time, using the plant chloroplast as a model system, but validated in vivo in living plants. Confocal visible and near-infrared fluores

Biomedical EngineeringEngineering
3
Article|330 citations·2016
Nitroaromatic detection and infrared communication from wild-type plants using plant nanobionics
Min Hao Wong, Juan Pablo Giraldo, Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Volodymyr B. Koman, Rosalie Sinclair, Tedrick Thomas Salim Lew, Gili Bisker, Pingwei Liu, Michael S. Strano
SJR Q1Nature Materials
Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
4
Article|291 citations·2020
Real-time detection of wound-induced H2O2 signalling waves in plants with optical nanosensors
Tedrick Thomas Salim Lew, Volodymyr B. Koman, Kevin S. Silmore, Jun Sung Seo, Pavlo Gordiichuk, Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Minkyung Park, Mervin Chun‐Yi Ang, Duc Thinh Khong, Michael A. Lee, Mary B. Chan‐Park, Nam‐Hai Chua
SJR Q1Nature Plants
Plant ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences
5
Review|201 citations·2017
Nanosensor Technology Applied to Living Plant Systems
Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Min Hao Wong, Tedrick Thomas Salim Lew, Gili Bisker, Michael A. Lee, Amir Kaplan, Juyao Dong, Albert Tianxiang Liu, Volodymyr B. Koman, Rosalie Sinclair, Catherine A. Hamann, Michael S. Strano
SJR Q1Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry

An understanding of plant biology is essential to solving many long-standing global challenges, including sustainable and secure food production and the generation of renewable fuel sources. Nanosensor platforms, sensors with a characteristic dimension that is nanometer in scale, have emerged as important tools for monitoring plant signaling pathways and metabolism that are nondestructive, minimally invasive, and capable of real-time analysis. This review outlines the recent advances in nanotech

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
6
Article|192 citations·2015
A Ratiometric Sensor Using Single Chirality Near‐Infrared Fluorescent Carbon Nanotubes: Application to In Vivo Monitoring
Juan Pablo Giraldo, Markita P. Landry, Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Rishabh Jain, Min Hao Wong, Nicole M. Iverson, Micha Ben‐Naim, Michael S. Strano
SJR Q1SmallOA

Advances in the separation and functionalization of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) by their electronic type have enabled the development of ratiometric fluorescent SWCNT sensors for the first time. Herein, single chirality SWCNT are independently functionalized to recognize either nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), or no analyte (remaining invariant) to create optical sensor responses from the ratio of distinct emission peaks. This ratiometric approach provides a measure of

BioengineeringChemical Engineering
7
Article|173 citations·2018
Rational Design Principles for the Transport and Subcellular Distribution of Nanomaterials into Plant Protoplasts
Tedrick Thomas Salim Lew, Min Hao Wong, Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Rosalie Sinclair, Volodymyr B. Koman, Michael S. Strano
SJR Q1SmallOA

The ability to control the subcellular localization of nanoparticles within living plants offers unique advantages for targeted biomolecule delivery and enables important applications in plant bioengineering. However, the mechanism of nanoparticle transport past plant biological membranes is poorly understood. Here, a mechanistic study of nanoparticle cellular uptake into plant protoplasts is presented. An experimentally validated mathematical model of lipid exchange envelope penetration mechani

Materials ChemistryMaterials Science
8
Article|142 citations·2017
A Nanobionic Light-Emitting Plant
Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Juan Pablo Giraldo, Min Hao Wong, Volodymyr B. Koman, Tedrick Thomas Salim Lew, Jon Ell, Mark C. Weidman, Rosalie Sinclair, Markita P. Landry, William A. Tisdale, Michael S. Strano
SJR Q1Nano LettersOA

The engineering of living plants for visible light emission and sustainable illumination is compelling because plants possess independent energy generation and storage mechanisms and autonomous self-repair. Herein, we demonstrate a plant nanobionic approach that enables exceptional luminosity and lifetime utilizing four chemically interacting nanoparticles, including firefly luciferase conjugated silica (SNP-Luc), d -luciferin releasing poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) (PLGA-LH 2 ), coenzyme A fu

Biomedical EngineeringEngineering
9
Article|142 citations·2009
Kojic acid–amino acid conjugates as tyrosinase inhibitors
Jin‐Mi Noh, Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Hyosuk Seo, Joo‐Hyun Seo, Byung‐Gee Kim, Yoon‐Sik Lee
SJR Q2Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry LettersOA
Cell BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
10
Article|134 citations·2022
In vivo surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanosensor for the real-time monitoring of multiple stress signalling molecules in plants
Won Ki Son, Yun Sik Choi, Young Woo Han, Dong Wook Shin, Kyunghun Min, Jiyoung Shin, Min Jeong Lee, Hokyoung Son, Dae Hong Jeong, Seon‐Yeong Kwak
SJR Q1Nature Nanotechnology
Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
11
Article|89 citations·2007
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic-Encoded Beads for Multiplex Immunoassay
Bong‐Hyun Jun, Jong‐Ho Kim, Hyunmi Park, Jun‐Sung Kim, Kyeong-Nam Yu, Sang-Myung Lee, Hee‐Jeong Choi, Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Yong-Kweon Kim, Dae Hong Jeong, Myung‐Haing Cho, Yoon‐Sik Lee
Journal of Combinatorial Chemistry

A new type of encoded bead, which uses surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), is described for multiplex immunoassays. Silver nanoparticles were embedded in sulfonated polystyrene (PS) beads via a polyol method, and they were used as SERS-active substrates. Raman-label organic compounds such as 4-methylbenzenethiol (4-MT), 2-naphthalenethiol (2-NT), and benzenethiol (BT) were then adsorbed onto the silver nanoparticles in the sulfonated PS bead. Although only three kinds of encoding have been

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic MaterialsMaterials Science
12
Article|42 citations·2014
Luminescent Graphene Oxide with a Peptide‐Quencher Complex for Optical Detection of Cell‐Secreted Proteases by a Turn‐On Response
Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Jin‐Kyoung Yang, Su‐Ji Jeon, Hye‐In Kim, Joon-Hyuk Yim, Homan Kang, San Kyeong, Yoon‐Sik Lee, Jong‐Ho Kim
SJR Q1Advanced Functional Materials

Graphene oxide (GO) is an emerging luminescent nanomaterial with photostable and unique photoluminescence (PL) in the visible and near‐infrared region. Herein, a GO PL‐based optical biosensor consisting of a luminescent GO donor covalently linked with a peptide‐quencher complex is reported for the simple, rapid, and sensitive detection of proteases. To this end, the quenching efficiency of various candidate quenchers of GO fluorescence, such as metalloprotoporphyrins and QXL 570 , are examined a

Biomedical EngineeringEngineering
13
Article|33 citations·2018
Polymethacrylamide and Carbon Composites that Grow, Strengthen, and Self‐Repair using Ambient Carbon Dioxide Fixation
Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Juan Pablo Giraldo, Tedrick Thomas Salim Lew, Min Hao Wong, Pingwei Liu, Yun Jung Yang, Volodymyr B. Koman, Melissa K. McGee, Bradley D. Olsen, Michael S. Strano
SJR Q1Advanced MaterialsOA

Abstract Plants accumulate solid carbon mass and self‐repair using atmospheric CO 2 fixation from photosynthesis. Synthetic materials capable of mimicking this property can significantly reduce the energy needed to transport and repair construction materials. Here, a gel matrix containing aminopropyl methacrylamide (APMA), glucose oxidase (GOx), and nanoceria‐stabilized extracted chloroplasts that is able to grow, strengthen, and self‐repair using carbon fixation is demonstrated. Glucose produce

Polymers and PlasticsMaterials Science
14
Article|28 citations·2022
Structural and Electronic Modulations of Imidazolium Covalent Organic Framework-Derived Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Redox Reactions in Rechargeable Zn–Air Batteries
Jong‐Min Ju, Chi H. Lee, Jung Hyun Park, Junhyeong Lee, Hajin Lee, Jae‐Hoon Shin, Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Sang Uck Lee, Jong‐Ho Kim
SJR Q1ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising candidates for the controllable design of electrocatalysts. However, bifunctional electrocatalytic activities for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remain challenging in COFs. In this study, imidazolium-rich COFs (IMCOFs) with well-defined active sites and characteristic three-dimensional assembly structures were readily prepared, and their electronic structures were tuned by Co incorporation to elicit bifunct

Electrical and Electronic EngineeringEngineering
15
Article|25 citations·2009
Synergistic antioxidative activities of hydroxycinnamoyl‐peptides
Seon‐Yeong Kwak, Hyosuk Seo, Yoon‐Sik Lee
SJR Q3Journal of Peptide Science

Antioxidants have become an important subject of study as an active ingredient for cosmetics and preservatives for food. We synthesized antioxidative peptide conjugates of hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) such as ferulic acid (FA), caffeic acid (CA), and sinapic acid (SA) by SPPS method. We measured their potential antioxidant properties by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging test and lipid autoxidation inhibition test. When the antioxidative peptides, such as glutathione analog

PhysiologyMedicine

Research Areas

Molecular BiologyBiomedical EngineeringElectronic, Optical and Magnetic MaterialsCell BiologyPlant ScienceMaterials Chemistry

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