Yoon-Kyoung Cho, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Group Leader, Center for Algorithmic and Robotized Synthesis, IBS (Institute for Basic Science)
UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology)
Ulsan, Republic of Korea
Seminar Information
Liquid biopsy is a promising alternative to tissue biopsy, as it can provide valuable information on circulating biomarkers and aid in treatment planning for individual patients. However, the process can be expensive, complex, and requires large sample volumes, with low sensitivity being a significant limitation. To address these challenges, we have developed "lab-on-a-chip" systems to analyze disease-associated biomarkers in biological fluids such as blood or urine. Our system can isolate and detect liquid biopsy markers such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and extracellular vesicles (EVs). We will discuss our recent studies on the potential of EVs as cancer biomarkers, which could have significant implications for cancer theranostics. In addition, we will introduce a hand-powered centrifugal bacterial isolation device to determine the bacterial load and test antibiotics susceptibility, designed for use in resource-limited settings. We believe that our innovative microfluidic tools can accelerate the translation of liquid biopsy technology into real clinical settings, directly impacting patient care.
Yoon-Kyoung Cho is currently a full professor in Biomedical Engineering at UNIST, Republic of Korea. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK), an associate editor of the journal ‘Lab on a chip’, a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and vice president of the Chemical and Biological Microsystems Society (CBMS). She earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1999, following her M.S. and B.S. in Chemical Engineering from POSTECH in 1994 and 1992, respectively. Prior to joining UNIST in 2008, she served as a senior researcher (1999–2008) at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). Her current research focuses on lab-on-a-chip systems for detecting rare biomarkers, quantitative analysis of cell migration, and systems analysis of intercellular communication. Discover more at http://fruits.unist.ac.kr.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Jc1mz_EAAAAJ&hl=en