▶Interview

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There is great interest in eco-friendly and bio-based materials that will continue to replace synthetic drugs and products in our society. In particular, biological molecular materials are attracting attention as effective substitutes that can compensate for the shortcomings of synthetic drugs. Professor Jiho Min of Jeonbuk National University is a pioneering researcher in this field.

In particular, with the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria and mutant viruses becoming a societal problem, concerns are being raised about side effects related to the treatment of microbial and viral infections. To address these challenges and prevent resistance and side effects in microorganisms and viruses, the goal is to replace existing antibiotics by developing biomaterials that can specifically target and remove them without causing resistance.

To achieve this goal, Professor Jiho Min developed a biological material using yeast vacuoles and created an antiviral biomaterial through genetic recombination of yeast vacuoles. The results of this study were published in the international academic journal 'ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces' (Impact Factor: 10.383). Additionally, Professor Jiho Min published two papers in "Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety" (Impact Factor: 7.129) on research related to pathogen detection using Daphnia and the prevention of pest hatching using yeast vacuoles.

Professor Jiho Min's recent area of focus is the development of materials using yeast-derived vacuoles for the prevention and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, a problem related to the aging population. This research is expected to reduce the cost of treating Alzheimer's disease in society and offer a new approach to preventing Alzheimer's disease. Another area of research involves using photosynthetic microorganisms to reduce atmospheric CO2 and convert CO2 into valuable substances. This research is expected to contribute to efforts to combat global warming and simultaneously produce high-value-added materials.

▶Education

2003 / Ph. D. Gwangju Institute of Science & Technology (GIST), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering

1999 / B. S. Gwangju Institute of Science & Technology (GIST), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering

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▶Researches

1. Novel peptide identified from viable-cell based phage display technique regulates growth cycle of Daphnia magna. Environmental Pollution. 327, 121556 (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121556

2. Inducing a Proinflammatory Response with Bioengineered Yeast

Vacuoles with TLR2-Binding Peptides (VacT2BP) as a Drug Carrier for

Daunorubicin Delivery, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 15, 35, 41258-41270 (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c06669

3. Yeast vacuolar enzymes as novel hatching inhibitors for aquatic organisms, Daphnia magna and Danio rerio eggs, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 264, 115446 (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115446

4. Detection of Salmonella dublin using the vitellogenin 2 promoter of 

Daphnia magna. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 254, 114735 (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114735