Comprehensive Analysis of Cancer-Related Gene Mutations
Recognized for Advancing Precision Medicine
Young Researcher Award for Scholars Under 45
Awarded to Professor Yonghyun Han of Kangwon National University College of Pharmacy
Professor Hyungbum Kim from the Department of Pharmacology at Yonsei University College of Medicine has been selected as the recipient of the Grand Prize for the Lim Seong-ki Researcher Award, which was established to honor the dedication, legacy, and philosophy of Lim Seong-ki, the founder of Hanmi Group, in new drug development. The Young Researcher Award, which is presented to researchers under the age of 45, will go to Professor Yonghyun Han from the Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University.
The Lim Seong-ki Foundation announced on the 18th that it had selected these two Korean researchers as the fifth recipients of the Lim Seong-ki Researcher Award, following a board meeting on the 8th. The award recognizes individuals in the fields of biotechnology and medical science who have made highly regarded achievements with practical applications in new drug development.
The Lim Seong-ki Researcher Award is the most prestigious honor in the fields of biotechnology and medical science in Korea. It was established by the Lim Seong-ki Foundation, which was founded primarily by the family of Hanmi Group founder Lim Seong-ki to carry on his legacy in new drug development. The foundation formed a separate selection committee composed of distinguished scholars in medicine, pharmacy, and life sciences to rigorously review and select the awardees.
Professor Hyungbum Kim, recipient of the Grand Prize, is a world-renowned authority in gene-editing research. He was recognized for his comprehensive analysis of more than 27,000 single-nucleotide variants of the 'ATM gene,' which increases the risk of cancer, a contribution that has greatly advanced the field of precision medicine.
The ATM gene is a large gene with an extensive number of mutations, making functional evaluation challenging with existing gene analysis technologies. However, Professor Kim systematically identified the functional significance of each variant by conducting cell experiments using the gene-editing technology known as 'prime editing' and by applying his self-developed artificial intelligence (AI) model, 'Deep ATM.'
Professor Kim is credited with establishing core foundational technologies that enable the selection of optimal treatments for cancer patients with gene mutations and the evaluation of resistance mutations during new drug development. His research has attracted significant global attention and is expected to accelerate the possibility of fundamentally treating not only cancer but also a variety of other diseases by precisely correcting disease-causing genes.
Professor Yonghyun Han, recipient of the Young Researcher Award, identified a new biological mechanism for the regulation of inflammation and fibrosis, revealing that the inflammatory cytokine 'IL-18' and its antagonist 'IL-18BP' counterbalance each other in the progression of steatohepatitis associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Building on this discovery, Professor Han collaborated with a faculty startup to develop 'APB-R3,' a long-acting biopharmaceutical candidate that extends the half-life of IL-18BP and improves drug delivery efficiency. This drug candidate was shown to suppress liver inflammation and inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells in animal models of steatohepatitis, thereby preventing the progression to liver cirrhosis.
The drug candidate discovered through Professor Han's research has demonstrated potential for expanded indications, not only in existing autoinflammatory diseases such as Still's disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and atopic disorders, but also in steatohepatitis. It is expected to become a first-in-class therapy targeting IL-18 in the future.
Changsoo Kim, Chairman of the Lim Seong-ki Foundation, stated, "This year's Lim Seong-ki Researcher Award recipients have achieved significant milestones that further expand the horizons of precision medicine and new drug development. The Lim Seong-ki Foundation will continue to support the creation of a stable research environment for domestic researchers and will spare no effort in providing the necessary support for various research activities that contribute to the improvement of human health."
The award ceremony will be held in early March next year. The Grand Prize winner will receive a plaque and a cash prize of 300 million won, while the Young Researcher Award recipient will receive a plaque and a cash prize of 50 million won. Further details about the Lim Seong-ki Foundation and the Lim Seong-ki Researcher Award can be found on the foundation's website.
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