Research

Our laboratory is actively involved in visualizing (Visualizing) biomolecules such as mRNA/proteins/antibodies, controlling (Controlling) them with light, and developing treatment technologies (Repairing) as new paradigms of mRNA editing, mRNA modulation, and optogenetic medicine. These endeavors form the foundation for cellular biology and neuroscience research.

We have been developing new bio-imaging, optogenetics, and chemogenetics technologies to study vital biological phenomena and cellular functions across various cells and animals. Our research encompasses several fields like cell growth, migration, death, cancer cell metastasis, and brain functions, which are regulated through cell signaling pathways composed of a variety of secondary messengers and numerous signaling proteins.

In our lab, we aim to understand the molecular mechanisms occurring in cells and animals, like the cellular signaling during cancer cell metastasis, or the processes happening in stem cells present in the body. We use our advanced bio-imaging techniques to visualize these complex cellular signaling systems in living cells and animals in real-time. Also, we leverage our developed optogenetics and chemogenetics technologies to remotely control cellular functions.

Over the past decade, we have pioneered the development of novel bio-imaging technologies to explore cellular and molecular functions in various cells, including cancer cells, neurons, immune cells, and stem cells. By merging our various technologies like bio-imaging, optogenetics, protein engineering, cell control, mRNA control, and stem cell control, we aim to develop treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression, cancer, spinal nerve damage, and Coronavirus infection.

We have always been at the forefront of technology, developing techniques such as optoRTK, which controls cellular membrane receptors with light, LARIAT that controls various signaling proteins, IM-LARIAT that manages intracellular membranes, and optoSTIM1, a technology that controls cellular/body calcium concentration in real-time.

Our ultimate goal is to create innovative cell therapy techniques and treatments for brain repair using optogenetics, developed over the past ten years. In this journey, we aim to develop new treatments for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and spinal nerve recovery. We are currently developing mRNA (optogenetics) control, cell function optogenetic control, and molecular control technologies, which we hope will pioneer breakthroughs not just in basic biological research but also in treating brain diseases, cancer, stem cell therapy, and developing mRNA treatment technologies for the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic.

Research Areas

mRNA base editing, modification, and therapy (mRNA 치료)

Protein engineering for novel and useful functions in mice and human

Cell function control and therapy (세포 치료)

Molecular/subcellular optogenetics and optogenetic medicine (광유전 의학)

Molecular optogenetics (분자 광유전학)

mRNA optogenetics (mRNA 광유전학)

Antibody optogenetics (항체 광유전학)

Synthetic cell  biology (합성세포생물학)

Synthetic neurobiology (합성신경생물학)

Bio-imaging (molecule, cell and in vivo imaging)

Neurobiology

Brain repair