Ministry of Science and ICT Announces Selection of Top 100 Outstanding Achievements Among 70,000 Government-Funded Projects
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Mini-organs assembled to replicate human organs and brain-computer interface technology that moves wheelchairs by thought were selected as this year’s top 100 national R&D achievements.
The Ministry of Science and ICT, together with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning, announced the '2021 Top 100 National R&D Achievements' on the 31st.
Among approximately 70,000 government-supported research and development (R&D) projects, the selection was made through an evaluation committee that assessed qualitative excellence based on scientific and technological development effects and socio-economic ripple effects, followed by public verification. By field, there were 18 in Mechanical and Materials, 26 in Life and Marine Sciences, 18 in Energy and Environment, 19 in Information and Electronics, 10 in Convergence, and 9 in Pure Basic and Infrastructure.
In particular, two top achievements were selected in each of the six major fields and publicly announced on the day. In the Life and Marine Sciences field, the research team led by Professor Shin Geun-yu of Pohang University of Science and Technology developed an ‘Assembloid of Mini-Organs Replicating Human Organs.’ This was recognized as the world’s first assembled mini artificial organ created through cell reconstitution, opening a new drug development system that brings innovation for developing patient-customized disease treatments to overcome various intractable diseases. In the Convergence field, the research team led by Dr. Kim Rae-hyun of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) was selected for the top achievement with their ‘Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology for controlling daily life and walking aids by thought alone.’ This world-first high-performance BCI* technology integrates augmented reality (AR) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and is expected to lead future digital environments such as medical rehabilitation, healthcare, defense, education, and extended virtual worlds (metaverse), contributing to national growth engines.
Additionally, the research team led by Kang Hyung-jin at Mando was recognized for the top achievement with their technology for ‘Mass production of vehicle radar sensors for autonomous driving Level 2/3 functions.’ As a core sensor for autonomous driving, the vehicle radar technology received public consensus for its traffic safety improvement effects, including tunnel detection functions.
The research team at Seoul National University Hospital led by Kim Hyo-soo was selected for their achievement titled ‘Elucidation of the mechanism by which PCSK9 degrades low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-Receptor): Establishment of a new platform for metabolic syndrome drug development (Kim Hyo-soo, Seoul National University Hospital).’ This was recognized as a breakthrough in chronic disease solutions, as it was the world’s first discovery of the mechanism by which PCSK9 degrades LDL receptors, suggesting a new direction for dyslipidemia drug development.
The achievements selected as the top 100 will be awarded certificates and plaques by the Minister of Science and ICT and will receive additional points in project and institutional evaluations according to relevant regulations. Selected researchers will be actively recommended as candidates for national R&D achievement awards (orders, presidential citations, prime minister citations, etc.).
Starting this year, an e-book (‘2021 Top 100 National R&D Achievements Casebook’) will be produced to allow the general public easier access to the main contents of the top 100 research achievements and will be provided free of charge through major online bookstores.
Lee Kyung-soo, Director of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, “We plan to continuously expand the national R&D budget so that science and technology can be at the center of solving social problems in our country and opening the future,” adding, “We will also make greater efforts in communication, such as promoting research achievements that the public can feel.”
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