Researcher Han Young-woo, a PhD alumnus of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) (Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA; supervisor Seong-guk Eo), has been awarded the international 'JW Creagen Academic Award' in recognition of his outstanding research achievements in the fields of infectious diseases and immunology.

The award is presented to a young scientist in recognition of the excellence of a research paper on dendritic cells published within the past year in a prestigious international journal with an impact factor of 5.0 or higher.

Dr. Han recently published findings in the official journal of the European Federation of Immunological Societies, European Journal of Immunology (Impact Factor 5.103), elucidating the suppressive effect and mechanism by which the zoonotic pathogen Japanese encephalitis virus inhibits cross-presentation by dendritic cells (DCs).

Dendritic cells are a key cell population involved in defense against viral and cancerous diseases and are regarded as important for disease treatment. They were discovered by Dr. Ralph Steinmann, the 2012 Nobel Prize laureate.

Through this research, Dr. Han demonstrated that the Japanese encephalitis virus disrupts the intrinsic functions of dendritic cells that mediate defense, thereby preventing the initiation of immune responses.

By revealing this immunosuppressive function, the study is expected to greatly aid research and treatment of infectious diseases, including Japanese encephalitis.

Meanwhile, Dr. Han currently serves as a researcher at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, USA, an institution globally recognized as research-focused in the fields of infectious diseases and immunology, and is conducting various studies in these areas.