First Korean President! UNIST Professor Yoonkyung Cho Inaugurated as President of Leading Liquid Biopsy Society ‘CBMS’

Global Leadership Recognized in Micro and Nano Bioengineering
Lab-on-a-Chip and Liquid Biopsy Technologies Demonstrate Worldwide Academic and Industrial Impact

Professor Yoonkyung Cho from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has officially assumed the presidency of the Chemical and Biological Microsystems Society (CBMS), the world’s leading international academic organization in the field of micro and nano bioengineering, becoming the first Korean to lead the society.

Professor Yoonkyung Cho, Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNIST (Dean of the College of Information and Bio Convergence). Provided by UNIST

Professor Cho is the first Korean to serve as president of CBMS, and her inauguration is regarded as a symbolic achievement that demonstrates the global standing of Korea’s micro and nano bio research.

CBMS is a non-profit international academic society that promotes research on micro- and nanoscale chemical and life science systems and extends these advances into the fields of medicine and engineering. The society organizes the international conference 'Micro Total Analysis Systems (MicroTAS)'.

Professor Yoonkyung Cho attending the CBMS MicroTAS conference held in Adelaide, Australia, from November 2 to 6.

The MicroTAS conference is the most influential academic platform in this field, where the latest research in advanced convergence technologies such as microfluidics, biosensors, and microphysiological systems (MPS) is presented.

Professor Cho is a globally recognized leading researcher in the fields of lab-on-a-chip and liquid biopsy. She is well known for her research on isolating and analyzing exosomes in blood, which expands the possibilities for early cancer diagnosis and personalized treatment.

Exosomes are considered a key substance for precision medicine, enabling personalized diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer and dementia.

Professor Cho’s research achievements have been recognized by being selected three times for the 'Top 100 Outstanding National R&D Achievements.' In particular, through her 'ExoDisc' technology, she developed a high-efficiency exosome extraction platform based on lab-on-a-disc, driving technological advancements in the field of liquid biopsy.

For the past six years, she has served as vice president and board member of CBMS, playing a leading role in the society’s growth and the expansion of its global network. With her inauguration as president, she will guide the academic direction and international cooperation strategies of CBMS for the next two years.

Professor Cho stated, "CBMS is a forum where the world’s top researchers come together to discuss and shape the future of science. Based on the collaborative and innovative research ecosystem built at UNIST, I will contribute to strengthening the global research network."

In March of this year, Professor Yoonkyung Cho was featured in the world-renowned journal Nature on the occasion of International Women’s Day. As a key figure who helped lay the foundation for UNIST as a research-oriented university from its early days, she is also actively involved in the development of innovative medical devices through LabSpinner, a startup she co-founded, leveraging her industry experience.

With Professor Yoonkyung Cho’s inauguration as CBMS president, UNIST plans to further strengthen its global leadership in the micro and nano bio field and accelerate its advancement as a world-class research hub.