"I Want to Die Researching... My Dream Is to Develop a Dementia Treatment"

[Interview] Goh Kyu-Young, KAIST Distinguished Professor
2023 Korea Top Scientist Award Winner
"Not Due to Medical School Bias, Structural Change Needed"

"The concentration phenomenon in medical schools is not the fault of the students but a result of social structure. If we create a good environment, people will flock to it." This is what Professor Kyooyoung Ko, Distinguished Professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Director of the Vascular Research Center at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), said. He is so passionately devoted to research that he says, "I want to die sitting at my desk while researching." He has published world-class research results in cardiovascular pathology mechanisms, especially in the field of lymphatic vessel research. In particular, he has consecutively announced research achievements that could be breakthroughs for dementia and cancer treatments, earning him this prestigious award.

The following is a Q&A with Professor Ko.

- How do you feel about receiving the award?

▲ I am delighted. I want to sincerely thank the researchers, student researchers, and domestic and international colleagues who have worked with me so far.

- You were the first to reveal the waste discharge pathway in the brain. What motivated this research?

▲ Because the brain is the most active organ in our body, it consumes a lot of energy and produces many wastes and toxic substances. These substances dissolve in 150 mL of cerebrospinal fluid, and to be discharged, they must pass through the lymphatic vessels. However, the discharge pathway was unclear and remained a challenging problem. I took on this challenge and achieved results. The cerebrospinal fluid discharged through the meningeal lymphatic vessels decreases gradually with age. When too much waste accumulates in the brain, neurodegenerative diseases like dementia occur. Therefore, facilitating this discharge can prevent or slow the progression of dementia.

- What research areas will you challenge in the future?

▲ Most discoveries were made using mouse experimental animals, but currently, we are reproducing them in primates. Once confirmed, I want to challenge this with target patients. Also, after COVID-19, we are focusing our capillary and lymphatic vessel research on the head (including the brain) and neck areas. We are currently obtaining many very interesting results. I want to develop a new dimension of drugs that help treat dementia.

- Why did you become a research-focused physician-scientist rather than a clinician?

▲Knowing both sides, I think the breadth and depth of research are greater, and I felt more profound doing basic research with the conviction that I could help patients.

- You are also dedicated to nurturing talent. What do you emphasize to your students?

▲ I think they have a better environment than our generation, but there seems to be anxiety and impatience. Rather, the more they study the field, the more desire for research will arise. If they calmly and enjoyably focus, they will make important discoveries and be given many opportunities. To become an excellent leader, one must have a hungry spirit and climb up from the bottom.

- You have a strong interest in the scientific culture area for correct scientific information. Why?

▲ Because it is a joyful duty as a biomedical scientist. This is an era that demands more expertise. I think of it as a 'window' where we can communicate and share with the public without barriers.

- Do you have a research philosophy or motto?

▲ I am still hungry for the research I am doing. My dream is to die sitting at my desk in the lab.

- Recently, most dropouts from major science and engineering universities are re-entering medical schools. What do you think about the medical school concentration and science and engineering exodus phenomenon?

▲ It is due to social structure rather than individual students' wishes. If the gap in life narrows and a good culture and environment for research are created, I believe that young people with purpose will gather.