Research

We are pioneering microneedle (MN) technology for the delivery of drug molecules to treat vascular and ocular diseases. Recently, our group also started investigating MN sensor technologies based on electrochemistry, impedance, and piezoelectricity to early diagnose various diseases and monitor precisely their progression continuously (e.g. glucose, dopamine, blood pressure, ...etc.).

Plants (or many photosynthetic cells such as algal cells, cyanobacteria, ...etc) convert sun light into electrons (photosynthetic electrons, PEs). We are the 1st group in the world, who directly extracted PEs from living algal cells using nanoelectrodes. Recently, we started developing various technologies to move forward the cutting-edge research into practical solutions. We already powered small LED lamps (Dr. Y. J. Kim) and electric calculators (Dr. H. Hong) only with spinach extracts. MEMS, nanotechnolgies, 3D printing, EHD printing and many exciting technologies are utilized to explore purely green bio-solar energy conversion.

We are exploring functional 3D printing technology for electronics, energy, sensor, and medical applications. Although 3D printing seemed to create any 3D object, the reality is harsh. Limitation of 3D printing is in material, resolution, printing speed, and many more. We are trying to overcome these obstacles by understanding the fundamentals of printing inks (e.g. shear thinning), and are challenging to provide various functions to the 3D printed devices such as electrical conductivity, supercapacitive energy storage, electrochemical and piezoelectric sensing, or therapeutics.

We study and develop various nanofabrication technologies such as silicon etching, electrospinning, and EHD printing. Metal-assisted chemical etching (MAC-etching) allows for ultra-deep high aspect-ratio etching of silicon substrate, which can be utilized for sensing, energy harvesting, and many other applications. Electrospinning and electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing enables nanometer resolution printing. Nanoscale patterns and lines can be created without expensive vacuum equipment. We aim to expand EHD printing to pattern over 3D curved surface with various electronic and biocompatible material for various electronics, sensor, energy, and biomedical applications.