Researches

• Establish reproducible animal models (small and large animals) of lymphatic dysfunction using precision microsurgery, radiation, lymphatic vessel manipulation, and controlled injury protocols.

• Quantitatively validate lymphatic impairment through near-infrared fluorescence indocyanine green lymphangiography (NIRF-ICGL), dynamic lymphatic signal analysis, and disease severity grading.

• Provide a translational platform for investigating lymphatic pathophysiology, testing therapeutic strategies, and developing imaging-based biomarkers.

Front. Vet. Sci. 2022, Bioeng. Transl. Med. 2022, Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2023, PLoS One 2023, Acta Neuropathol. Commun. 2025, Front. Surg. 2026, Sci. Rep. 2026

• Develop AI-based disease diagnosis models using multimodal medical data, including clinical information, imaging data, bio-signals, and longitudinal patient-derived datasets.

• Establish clinical decision-support models that assist disease risk stratification, treatment response prediction, and personalized management in the various medical fields.

• Develop AI medical agents capable of supporting data interpretation, workflow optimization, and context-aware clinical research applications.

Medicine 2018, Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2023, Eur. Radiol. 2025, Sci. Rep. 2026

• Develop multimodal lymphatic imaging technologies using near-infrared fluorescence, short-wave infrared imaging, optical coherence tomography, magnetic resonance lymphangiography, and ultrasound-based approaches.

• Establish clinically translatable imaging platforms and standardized protocols for early diagnosis, disease staging, treatment monitoring, and personalized management of lymphatic disorders.

Sci. Rep. 2023, Ultrasonography  2024, Sci. Rep. 2024, Sci. Rep. 2026 

• Quantitatively evaluate lymphatic flow, tissue fluid accumulation, skin microstructural changes, and disease severity to establish imaging-based diagnostic biomarkers.

• Develop optical theranostic platforms that integrate disease monitoring, treatment response assessment, and image-guided therapeutic strategies for lymphatic disorders.

Lasers Med. Sci. 2016, Sci. Rep. 2023, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2025, Front. Oncol. 2025

• Develop lymphangio-dynamic analysis methods to quantify lymphatic contractility, propulsion patterns, contraction frequency, signal amplitude, and rhythm regularity.

• Analyze dynamic near-infrared fluorescence lymphangiography signals using time-domain analysis, frequency-domain analysis, and wavelet-based approaches to detect functional impairment.

• Establish functional biomarkers for early diagnosis, disease progression, and treatment response monitoring in lymphatic disorders beyond conventional static imaging.

Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2023, Sci. Rep. 2023, PLoS One 2023, Sci. Rep. 2024, Front. Oncol. 2025

• Develop microneedle-based delivery platforms for direct and minimally invasive administration of contrast agents and therapeutic compounds into the lymphatic system.

• Establish patient-friendly lymphangiography technologies that improve contrast agent delivery efficiency, reduce injection-related discomfort, and enhance clinical applicability.

• Develop surgically implantable drug delivery systems to improve the therapeutic efficacy of lymphatic procedures by enabling localized, sustained, and controlled delivery of lymphangiogenic or anti-fibrotic agents.

Sci. Rep. 2023, Sci. Rep. 2024, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2025, Front. Oncol. 2025

• Demonstrate the functional link between the head and neck lymphatic system and central nervous system immune surveillance, fluid circulation, and cerebrospinal fluid drainage.

• Investigate how impaired cervical lymphatic drainage induces brain inflammation, disrupts cerebrospinal fluid outflow, and contributes to structural and functional alterations in the brain.

• Highlight the clinical importance of cognitive monitoring and management in patients with head and neck lymphedema by establishing the potential neurological consequences of lymphatic dysfunction.

Acta Neuropathol. Commun. 2025

• Develop artificial lymph nodes, lymphatic vessel substitutes, and bioengineered constructs to restore, regenerate, or reconnect damaged lymphatic pathways.

• Evaluate the structural integration and functional performance of implanted constructs by assessing lymphatic drainage, fluid transport, and connectivity with host lymphatic tissues.

• Establish regenerative strategies for reconstructing lost lymphatic networks and improving therapeutic outcomes in lymphatic disorders.

Bioeng. Transl. Med. 2022, Front. Vet. Sci. 2022, J. Reconstr. Microsurg. 2023, Sci. Rep. 2024,

• Investigate the mechanisms by which exercise interventions improve various pathophysiological conditions.

• Establish optimized exercise conditions, including intensity, frequency, duration, and intervention timing, through preclinical lymphedema models and quantitative lymphatic function assessment.

• Develop precision exercise therapy strategies by linking preclinical evidence with clinical evaluation to support personalized rehabilitation protocols for patients.

J. Korean Med. Sci. 2011, Supportive Care in Cancer 2016, Gynecol. Oncol. 2017, PLoS One 2023

• Establish scientific evidence for surgical treatment of lymphedema by investigating the mechanisms, functional outcomes, and lymphatic reconstruction processes associated with operative interventions.

• Develop strategies to maximize the therapeutic efficacy of surgical procedures.

• Develop reproducible animal models that recapitulate surgical treatment approaches, enabling preclinical validation and optimization of operative techniques for lymphatic disorders.

J. Reconstr. Microsurg. 2018, Arch. Plast. Surg. 2021, Front. Vet. Sci. 2022, J. Reconstr. Microsurg. 2023, Sci. Rep. 2024, Biomater. 2026