10 Billion Won Invested in Virus Infection Treatment Technology to Combat 'Cytokine Storm'

UNIST Professor Lee Sang-jun Selected for 'Innovative Science and Technology Center and Program'

Donggurami Foundation Supports Development Upon Emergence → Donates to 'Universal Therapeutic Technology'

Pandemic Therapeutics Research Center

Technology for treating high-risk emerging viral infectious diseases such as COVID-19 will receive support from the former Ahn Cheol-soo Foundation, now known as the ‘Donggurami Foundation.’

Professor Lee Sang-jun of the Department of Life Sciences at UNIST (President Lee Yong-hoon) was selected for the Donggurami Foundation’s 2023 ‘Innovative Science and Technology Centers and Programs.’

On the 8th, the Donggurami Foundation signed an agreement with the UNIST Pandemic Therapeutics Research Center led by Professor Lee. According to the agreement, Professor Lee is expected to receive funding of 1.05 billion KRW over up to three years, subject to evaluations.

Professor Lee Sang-jun, UNIST.

The foundation’s Innovative Science and Technology Centers and Programs are promoted to support scientists and experts tackling challenges in areas such as environment, energy, and infectious diseases. This year, innovative projects were solicited in five fields: environment, energy, health, cybersecurity, and AI.

Professor Lee was selected in the health field and will work on developing a ‘broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutic’ to prevent deadly viral infectious diseases such as the ‘cytokine storm.’ A cytokine storm refers to a systemic inflammatory response caused by the excessive secretion of cytokines, immune substances that respond to viral infections, beyond normal levels.

The therapeutic agent under development works by inhibiting the immune sensor protein ‘ZBP1,’ which sends signals for cytokine secretion, thereby balancing cytokine secretion. Unlike conventional antiviral drugs that must be developed anew for each emerging virus, this approach has the advantage of being applicable to all viral infections.

Professor Lee has demonstrated outstanding achievements in research on the ZBP1 immune sensor protein, which is central to therapeutic development. He has elucidated the innate immune mechanisms of ZBP1 in various viral infections and published his findings in top journals in the field such as Nature and Science Immunology.

Professor Lee Sang-jun said, “I am grateful to the Donggurami Foundation for providing the opportunity to conduct challenging and creative research. I will do my best to succeed in developing infectious disease therapeutic technologies that can contribute to the health and safety of vulnerable populations.”