KAIST Distinguished Professor Sangyeop Lee Receives International Metabolic Engineering Society "Metabolic Engineering Award"

KAIST announced on June 20 that Distinguished Professor Sangyeop Lee (Vice President for Research) of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has been awarded the "2025 Gregory N. Stephanopoulos Metabolic Engineering Award" (hereinafter referred to as the Metabolic Engineering Award) by the International Metabolic Engineering Society (IMES).

Professor Sangyeop Lee. Provided by KAIST

The Metabolic Engineering Award was established in honor of Dr. Gregory Stephanopoulos, one of the founders of metabolic engineering, through donations from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Foundation, colleagues, and acquaintances. This award is presented every two years to a scientist who has either successfully commercialized fundamental research in the field of metabolic engineering, or made significant contributions to the quantitative analysis, design, and modeling of metabolic pathways.

Professor Lee is recognized for his leading role in research in the fields of metabolic engineering and chemical and biomolecular engineering, holding over 770 journal publications and more than 860 patents.

During his 31-year tenure as a professor at KAIST, Professor Lee has developed a variety of metabolic engineering-based technologies and strategies, and transferred production technologies for bulk chemicals, polymers, natural products, pharmaceuticals, and health functional foods to industry.

Through these activities, Professor Lee received the "Merck Metabolic Engineering Award" in 2008 and the "Eni Award," known as the Nobel Prize in the energy sector, in 2018.

Professor Lee stated, "Metabolic engineering is a discipline that leads current and future biotechnology," and added, "I will continue to pursue research that encompasses both fundamental research and technology commercialization."

Meanwhile, the International Metabolic Engineering Society operates as a specialized society under the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, with the goal of enabling the production of a variety of bio-based products such as pharmaceuticals, food additives, chemicals, and fuels through metabolic engineering.