Hee-seop Shin, Korea's first brain scientist, IBS Cognitive and Sociability Research Center Social Neuroscience Group Director, a poem written by a junior at Seoul National University as he left the research site. At the retirement ceremony held at IBS on the 23rd, he said, "I started researching the brain field with passion without a teacher, and I was able to come this far thanks to many colleagues and senior and junior scientists. It was the path of a happy researcher," he said.

In 1991, when the history of basic research in Korea began with the enactment of the Basic Research Promotion Act, Director Shin returned to Korea and immersed himself in brain research. It can be said to be the birthplace of domestic basic science research.

IBS President Noh Do-young said, "If you consider Shin's research achievements in two ways, he devoted his life to digging a well in the field of brain science and his challenging spirit to establish a framework for national basic science without being complacent with reality." As I did, I hope that he will remain as Korea's first scientist who inspires younger scientists."

Oh Se-jeong, president of Seoul National University, the first president of IBS, said, "As I entered the position of president of IBS, I tried to recruit the most talented scientists for the purpose of the establishment. Director Shin was the first person I visited at that time. . I will support you to contribute to the world scientific community in the future."

KIST President Seokjin Yoon said, “Thanks to Director Shin, the foundation for basic science research has been laid at KIST. said

◆ Scientist from medical school

Director Shin received his doctorate from Cornell University Medical School after graduating from Seoul National University Medical School in 1974. He started on the path of a typical doctor, but at this time he chose not to be a doctor but to be a scientist. Among them, he was interested in genetics and took on the challenge of humanity called the 'brain'.

Director Shin served as a professor at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology), as well as a senior researcher at KIST and head of the Brain Science Research Center. Director Shin, who has lived the life of a basic scientist for 46 years, has investigated the mechanisms for generating cognitive functions such as memory, emotion, and empathy. He also introduced genetics to brain research for the first time in Korea.

Director Shin said, “After graduating from medical school, I did not want to follow the path of a doctor, so I entered the research path.

He said, "I feel sorry for my family who have stood by me while living as a researcher, but I think that a researcher has to be crazy about research to a certain extent.

◆ Development goal for brain disease treatment

Director Shin's research, which identified the causes of brain neurological diseases such as epilepsy and motor paralysis at the genetic level, drew attention worldwide. He has published more than 197 papers in international journals at IBS for the past 8 years, showing steady research results.

Director Shin was selected as the No. 1 National Scientist by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2006 in recognition of his research achievements. He has been awarded the Korea's Top Science and Technology Personnel Award, the Hoam Award, and the National Medal of Merit, Camellia Medal, and is evaluated as a cornerstone of the Korean basic science community.

After retiring, Director Shin said that he plans to work in the industrial field. "Based on our research skills, we are aiming for a global level of treatment technology by contributing to the development of treatments for brain diseases," he said.

Finally, he said with a smile, "I want to help junior researchers go deeper and higher.

Dr. Inah Lee (이인아)


Professor and Chair

Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Seoul National University

"Neuroscience research in South Korea has primarily relied on government-funded initiatives for its development over the past two decades. The first major step was taken in 1998 when the government initiated the “Brain Research Promotion Act.” Several years later, Professor Kyungjin Kim, who was at Seoul National University at the time, launched the 10-year-long government-funded “Brain Frontier Project" (2003-2013), which provided significant momentum to bring prominent neuroscientists to light and push neuroscience research in Korea to the next level. There has been a continual effort to create academic and research positions in order to bring back rising Korean neuroscientists from overseas, and, at the present time, several world-class research institutions, including the Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI, founded in 2011) and Institute for Basic Science (IBS), are dedicated to the study of the brain. In terms of research specialization, the traditional emphasis on molecular biology led the first generation of neuroscientists in Korea to be focused mainly on molecular neurobiology and genetic techniques. However, with the modern rise of systems-level approaches and the emphasis on application, the Korean neuroscience community is trending towards an increasing number of researchers in the fields of cognitive, systems, clinical, and computational neuroscience. "

Dr. Indranath Chatterjee

Professor
Department of Computer Engineering

Tongmyong University,

Busan, South Korea

"Working with neuroscience in South Korea cleared the road for unraveling the brain's secrets. While it was initially difficult to understand the books written in Korean, translation was the only method to read them. However, South Korea has a vast knowledge foundation in the field of brain science. I believe it should be investigated from all corners of the globe. The study of brain science is popular among Korean scientists, and I must state that it is quite progressed. There is numerous valuable research, both old and new, that reveal incredible findings. Unfortunately, the majority of them are still in Korean, making them inaccessible to other scientists of various nationalities. During our investigations and research for this project, we encountered these great resources, which we believe should be made available to everyone on the planet as part of Open-Science."

Ms. Videsha Bansal

Teaching Associate, JK Lakshmipat University, India

"When traced back, it was found that neuroscience research in Korea date back in 17th century. Starting from machines to hypothesis, from excellent researchers to ground breaking discoveries, I can surely as that as a country South Korea has done a lot in the field of neuroscience. During this project the entire team came together to collect every possible detail about the history and present neuroscience research done by the people in South Korea. The best part is that the country is not just doing every possible thing within the domestic boundaries but exploring more in through various kinds of international collaborations."