Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), Division of Mechanical Design Engineering, Research Professor Seongwon Ko (Biomaterials & Mechanobiology Laboratory) will participate as the Principal Investigator (PI) of the collaborative R&D institution in the project "Development of a Domestically Produced Nanofiber-Structured Peripheral Circulatory System Artificial Blood Vessel for Hemodialysis," which was selected as a newly funded project in the "2026 Pan-Ministerial Advanced Medical Devices R&D Program" under the category "Domestic Production of Peripheral Circulatory System Artificial Blood Vessels" (Essential Medical Devices).

The project is led by the medical device company iMeditech Co., Ltd. as the lead R&D institution, with JBNU, Asan Medical Center, and Exlina participating as collaborative R&D institutions in this industry–academia–research–hospital cooperative project.

The essential medical device category that includes this project was established to domesticize medical devices that are directly related to public health and life but are difficult for the private sector to develop independently. Given global supply-chain instability and the risk that imports of foreign-dependent medical devices could be disrupted—posing threats to public health—the project's core purpose is to achieve technological self-reliance for essential medical devices and secure a stable supply chain.

Peripheral circulatory system artificial blood vessels are medical devices made from synthetic materials used to restore or replace portions of veins and arteries. Under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety classification, they are high-risk, Class III items. Because domestic production capacity has been insufficient and the item has relied heavily on imports, the need to domesticize the product for supply-chain stability and medical self-sufficiency has been consistently raised.

The project aims to carry out the full process from development of a domestically produced product to Ministry of Food and Drug Safety certification and approval, domestic and international patent registration, and commercialization. Research Professor Seongwon Ko will be responsible for developing and optimizing coating technology that applies biocompatible nanofiber structures to the surface of artificial blood vessels.

In this process, the project plans to utilize JBNU's core technology related to electrospinning equipment for medical device coatings. Applying a biocompatible nanofiber structure to the surface of an artificial blood vessel is being attempted for the first time in this project, and it is expected to enhance biocompatibility and overcome the limitations of existing products.

Performance evaluation of the developed medical device will be conducted jointly with JBNU Innovative Medical Device Preclinical Center. The Preclinical Center is a GLP-certified preclinical testing institution and will support product development and regulatory approval by verifying performance and safety at the preclinical stage.

Research Professor Seongwon Ko said, "Because artificial blood vessels are devices directly linked to the lives of hemodialysis patients, I will contribute to the development of domestically produced products with safety and performance through biocompatible nanofiber coating technology."