The research team led by Professor Byunghun Jeong of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU)'s Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics has attracted attention from the academic community by consecutively publishing two review articles on ferroptosis, a form of cell death, in leading international journals.

The team's first paper, ‘Harnessing Adipose Ferroptosis: A Promising Novel Pathway for Obesity Treatment,’ was published in Current Obesity Reports (IF 11.0, top 2.6% in JCR).

The paper systematically summarizes, based on recent research findings, how ferroptosis is induced and regulated in adipose tissue and how lipid and iron metabolism interact with cell membrane structures. The study's scholarly impact was recognized when it was selected for the Biological Research Information Center (BRIC)'s “People Who Brightened Korea (한국을 빛낸 사람들, Hanbit-sa)” feature.

The second paper, ‘Ferroptosis in Adipose Tissue: A Double-Edged Sword Between Obesity Therapy and Stem Cell Risk,’ was published in MedComm (IF 10.8, top 7.1% in JCR). It clearly documents that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are vulnerable to ferroptosis.

In particular, it emphasizes ferroptosis as a potentially hazardous mechanism in the fields of stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine, providing important scientific evidence for the future design of cell therapy strategies.

The two review articles are significant in that they illuminate both the fundamental and applied implications of ferroptosis, while concurrently highlighting vulnerability at the stem cell level. They also suggest potential applications in obesity treatment and regenerative medicine.

Professor Byunghun Jeong said, “Ferroptosis will play an important role in precision medicine, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy in the future,” adding, “We will continue to develop new therapeutic strategies and application platforms based on this knowledge.”

Meanwhile, this research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea's Mid-Career Researcher Support Program and the Creative Pioneer and University-Centered Research Institute Support Program, and was carried out based on the research infrastructure of JBNU's Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics and the Zoonosis Core Research Support Center.