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Yongwoo Ji

Yonsei University · Medicine

About the Lab

Professor Yongwoo Ji's research lab specializes in ophthalmic biomarker discovery, nanomaterial-based diagnostics, and the pathophysiology of ocular surface diseases. The lab focuses on developing sensitive, non-invasive diagnostic tools—such as nanoparticle-mediated immunoassays—for early detection of conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dry eye disease. Key research directions include identifying tear fluid biomarkers, understanding inflammatory mechanisms in autoimmune ocular disorders, and investigating environmental toxicants' effects on ocular cells. The lab integrates proteomics, nanotechnology, and clinical ophthalmology to advance precision diagnostics and therapeutic monitoring.

tear biomarkersnanoparticle diagnosticsdry eye diseaseocular surface inflammationAlzheimer's biomarkers

Research Overview

Papers
111
Total Citations
1,959
Papers (5y)
46
Primary Field
Medicine

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
46total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
661total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|72 citations·2017
Lower Laser Energy Levels Lead to Better Visual Recovery After Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction: Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial
Yong Woo Ji, Minseo Kim, David Sung Yong Kang, Dan Z. Reinstein, Timothy J. Archer, Jin‐Young Choi, Eung Kweon Kim, Hyung Keun Lee, Kyoung Yul Seo, Tae-im Kim
SJR Q1American Journal of OphthalmologyOA
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMedicine
2
Article|57 citations·2013
Neutralization of Ocular Surface TNF-α Reduces Ocular Surface and Lacrimal Gland Inflammation Induced by In Vivo Dry Eye
Yong Woo Ji, Yu Jeong Byun, Wungrak Choi, Eunae Jeong, Jin Sun Kim, Haemi Noh, Eun Sun Kim, Yun Jung Song, Seung Kook Park, Hyung Keun Lee
SJR Q1Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual ScienceOA

Topical TNF-α blockers effectively suppressed lacrimal gland and corneal inflammation by suppressing IFN-γ, IL-21, and IL-6. Differences in TNF-α affinity, clearance, and local concentration of blockers may account for the anti-inflammatory effects in different ocular regions.

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
3
Article|47 citations·2023
Amplified fluorogenic immunoassay for early diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease from tear fluid
Sojeong Lee, Eunjung Kim, Chae‐Eun Moon, Chaewon Park, Jongwoo Lim, Minseok Baek, Moo‐Kwang Shin, Jisun Ki, Hanna Cho, Yong Woo Ji, Seungjoo Haam
SJR Q1Nature CommunicationsOA

Abstract Accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in its earliest stage can prevent the disease and delay the symptoms. Therefore, more sensitive, non-invasive, and simple screening tools are required for the early diagnosis and monitoring of AD. Here, we design a self-assembled nanoparticle-mediated amplified fluorogenic immunoassay (SNAFIA) consisting of magnetic and fluorophore-loaded polymeric nanoparticles. Using a discovery cohort of 21 subjects, proteomic analysis identifies adenyly

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
4
Article|47 citations·2016
Automated Measurement of Tear Film Dynamics and Lipid Layer Thickness for Assessment of Non-Sjögren Dry Eye Syndrome With Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Yong Woo Ji, Jeihoon Lee, Hun Lee, Kyoung Yul Seo, Eung Kweon Kim, Tae‐im Kim
SJR Q1CorneaOA

PURPOSE: To investigate automated values from an advanced corneal topographer with a built-in real keratometer, color camera, and ocular surface interferometer for the evaluation of non-Sjögren dry eye syndrome (NSDES) with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). METHODS: Sixty-four patients (64 eyes) diagnosed with NSDES with MGD were enrolled. All eyes were evaluated using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), fluorescence staining score, tear film breakup time (TBUT), Schirmer test, and MGD gra

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
5
Article|44 citations·2011
Microcystin-LR Induces Apoptosis via NF-κB /iNOS Pathway in INS-1 Cells
Yong Woo Ji, Lu Gao, Guoqiang Chen, Bin Huang, Xian Zhang, Kai Shen, Song Wu
SJR Q1International Journal of Molecular SciencesOA

Cyanobacterial toxins, especially the microcystins, are found in eutrophied waters throughout the world, and their potential to impact on human and animal health is a cause for concern. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is one of the common toxic microcystin congeners and occurs frequently in diverse water systems. Recent work suggested that apoptosis plays a major role in the toxic effects induced by MC-LR in hepatocytes. However, the roles of MC-LR in pancreatic beta cells have not been fully established

Environmental ChemistryEnvironmental Science
6
Article|42 citations·2018
Corneal lymphangiogenesis facilitates ocular surface inflammation and cell trafficking in dry eye disease
Yong Woo Ji, Jae Lim Lee, Hyun Goo Kang, Nayeong Gu, Haewon Byun, Areum Yeo, Hyemi Noh, Soyoung Kim, Eun Young Choi, Jong Suk Song, Hyung Keun Lee
SJR Q1The Ocular SurfaceOA
OncologyMedicine
7
Article|40 citations·2017
Lacrimal gland–derived IL-22 regulates IL-17-mediated ocular mucosal inflammation
Yong Woo Ji, Sanjay Mittal, H. Hwang, E-J Chang, Joon Ho Lee, Young Kyung Seo, Areum Yeo, Hie‐Jin Noh, Hye Sun Lee, Hye Sun Lee, Sandeep Chauhan, Hyun‐Jin Lee
SJR Q1Mucosal ImmunologyOA
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
8
Article|39 citations·2015
Comparison of Surface Roughness and Bacterial Adhesion Between Cosmetic Contact Lenses and Conventional Contact Lenses
Yong Woo Ji, Young-Joo Cho, Chul Hee Lee, Soon Ho Hong, Dong Yong Chung, Eung Kweon Kim, Hyung Keun Lee
SJR Q2Eye & Contact Lens Science & Clinical PracticeOA

Increased surface roughness is an important physical factor for bacterial adhesion in Cos-CL, which may explain why rates of bacterial keratitis rates are higher in Cos-CL users in CL physical characteristics.

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
9
Article|34 citations·2019
Changes in Human Tear Proteome Following Topical Treatment of Dry Eye Disease: Cyclosporine A Versus Diquafosol Tetrasodium
Yong Woo Ji, Hye Min Kim, Sun Young Ryu, Jaewon Oh, Areum Yeo, Chul Young Choi, Myoung Joon Kim, Jong Suk Song, Hyun Seung Kim, Kyoung Yul Seo, Kwang Pyo Kim, Hyung Keun Lee
SJR Q1Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual ScienceOA

Purpose: To compare the changes in human tear proteome and clinical effects following topical cyclosporine A (CsA) 0.05% or diquafosol tetrasodium (DQS) 3% treatment of dry eye disease (DED), and to identify biomarkers for determining disease severity and treatment effectiveness in DED. Methods: A total of 18 patients were diagnosed with non-Sjögren DED. Nine patients in each group were treated with topical CsA 0.05% or DQS 3% for 4 weeks. Tear samples were collected after evaluation of tear bre

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
10
Article|30 citations·2014
Dry Eye-Induced CCR7+CD11b+ Cell Lymph Node Homing Is Induced by COX-2 Activities
Yong Woo Ji, Young Kyung Seo, Wungrak Choi, Areum Yeo, Hany Noh, Eung Kweon Kim, Hyoki Lee
SJR Q1Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual ScienceOA

Topical COX-2/EP2 treatment reduces CCR7+CD11b+ cells on the ocular surface with inhibition of cellular LN homing and suppresses Th17 immune response, suggesting the COX-2/PGE2/EP axis contributes to immuno-inflammatory pathogenesis on the ocular surface and may be a novel therapeutic target in DE.

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
11
Article|29 citations·2007
The camptothecin derivative CPT-11 inhibits angiogenesis in a dual-color imageable orthotopic metastatic nude mouse model of human colon cancer.
Yong Woo Ji, Katsuhiro Hayashi, Yasuyuki Amoh, Kazuhiko Tsuji, Kensuke Yamauchi, Norio Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Tsuchiya, Katsuro Tomita, Michael Bouvet, Robert M. Hoffman
PubMed

Recent studies have shown the expression of a stem cell marker protein, nestin, in nascent blood vessels in nestin-driven green fluorescent protein (ND-GFP) transgenic nude mice. In the present study, we visualized tumor angiogenesis and evaluated the antiangiogenic efficacy of CPT-11 in ND-GFP nude mice using dual-color fluorescence imaging. We orthotopically implanted ND-GFP nude mice with the human cancer cell line HCT-116 expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP). The mice were treated with C

BiotechnologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
12
Article|29 citations·2018
Comparison of Ocular Surface Mucin Expression After Topical Ophthalmic Drug Administration in Dry Eye-Induced Mouse Model
Inhee Moon, Hyun Goo Kang, Areum Yeo, Hyemi Noh, Hyeon Chang Kim, Jong Suk Song, Yong Woo Ji, Hyung Keun Lee
SJR Q2Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and TherapeuticsOA

Topical DQS and CsA not only ameliorated ocular surface inflammation under desiccating stress but also upregulated both MM and secretory mucins (SM) and contributed to conjunctival goblet cell recovery, compared to Reb and Pred. Both anti-inflammatory and secretory factors should be considered simultaneously when measuring the treatment effect of DE drugs.

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
13
Article|22 citations·2021
The correction of conjunctivochalasis using high-frequency radiowave electrosurgery improves dry eye disease
Yong Woo Ji, Hyojin Seong, Sujung Lee, Mutlaq Alotaibi, Tae‐im Kim, Hyung Keun Lee, Kyoung Yul Seo
SJR Q1Scientific ReportsOA

We aimed to determine the clinical impact of conjunctivochalasis (CCh) and its correction using high-frequency radiowave electrosurgery (HFR-ES), for signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED). Forty patients diagnosed with symptomatic CCh were prospectively enrolled. As a result, patients with CCh had moderate to severe DED and most of them exhibited meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Corneo-conjunctival fluorescein staining score (CFS) and all lid-parallel-conjunctival-folds scores (LIPCOFs)

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
14
Article|22 citations·2022
Proteome alterations in the aqueous humor reflect structural and functional phenotypes in patients with advanced normal-tension glaucoma
Si Hyung Lee, Jae Hun Jung, Tae Kwann Park, Chae‐Eun Moon, Kyusun Han, Jin-Hyoung Lee, Hyung Keun Lee, Yong Woo Ji, Chan Yun Kim
SJR Q1Scientific ReportsOA

Previous reports have shown possible association between altered protein levels in aqueous humor (AH) and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), but the underlying pathogenetic mechanism as well as specific molecular biomarkers for NTG remains still elusive. Here, we aimed to identify novel biomarkers for advanced NTG by analyzing the proteome of patient-derived AH and their correlation with various functional and structural parameters from the visual field test (VF), optical coherence tomography (OCT),

OphthalmologyMedicine
15
Article|21 citations·2017
RETRACTED: Effect of Lowering Laser Energy on the Surface Roughness of Human Corneal Lenticules in SMILE
Yong Woo Ji, Minseo Kim, David Sung Yong Kang, Dan Z. Reinstein, Timothy J. Archer, Jin‐Young Choi, Eung Kweon Kim, Hyung Keun Lee, Kyoung Yul Seo, Tae‐im Kim
SJR Q1Journal of Refractive SurgeryOA

Lowering laser energy levels can improve surface quality of the lenticule of SMILE. To achieve better visual outcomes with faster recovery after the procedure, it is recommended to reduce the laser energy to less than 115 nJ at a spot separation of 4.5 μm. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(9):617-624.].

Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingMedicine

Research Areas

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthRadiology, Nuclear Medicine and ImagingSurgeryMolecular BiologyOphthalmologyPhysiology

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