Faculty
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Hwang, Yongsung, Ph.D.
Professor, Director of SIMS Research Planning Division
Biomaterials, Stem cell engineering, ECM remodeling, Mechanotransduction, 3D bioprinting, tumor microenvironment
Room 205, SIMS
+82-41-413-5017
yshwang0428@sch.ac.kr
Developing the next generation of regenerative medicine-based therapies requires a critical understanding encompassing biology, materials science, physiology, medicine, and engineering. Therefore, my research interest lies in:
Aim1: Development of novel stem cell-based therapeutics for tissue regeneration – We try to (1) develop an efficient strategy to direct lineage-specific in vitro commitment of patient-specific pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into various musculoskeletal cells, including teno-/osteo-/chondro-/adipo-/myogenic progenitors, and insulin-secreting beta cells by integrating insoluble, matrix-based cues along with soluble cues, and (2) evaluate their tissue regeneration efficacy by biomimetic material-assisted in vivo transplantation and (3) understand cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions using traction force microscopy with FRET biosensors.
Aim2: Development and design of cutting-edge biomaterials for recapitulating stem cell niche and disease microenvironments, including degenerative diseases (pteygium, podocyte dysfunction, keloid skin disorder, and osteoarthritis) and various head & neck cancers, in terms of mechanotransduction – We try to (1) design and fabricate novel hydrogel-based 3D scaffolds with biomimetic and hierarchical structures for stem cell fate commitment, novel co-culture system, and tumor microenvironment (TME) using 3D printing, 3D melt-electrospinning/spraying, microfabrication techniques and (2) develop functional in vitro disease model platforms as an organ-on-a-chip model and (3) cell surface engineering to modulate cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions for various cellular functions and their subsequent contribution to in vivo tissue repair.
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Principal Investigator
Yongsung Hwang, Ph.D. Biography B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, UC San Diego, USA Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, UC San Diego, USA Postdoctoral Researcher, Bioengineering, UC San Diego, USA Assistant Professor, SIMS, Soonchunhyang University, Korea Associate Professor, SIMS, Soonchunhyang University, Korea Professor, SIMS, Soonchunhyang University, Korea Research Interest • Development of novel stem cell-based therapeutic for musculoskeletal tissue regeneration including teno-/osteo-/chondro-/adipo-/myogenesis • Understanding roles of dynamic cell-cell/cell-matrix interactions in lineage specification of human pluripotent stem cells and primary cells isolated from patients using traction force microscopy with FRET biosensors • Diciphering molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction-mediated stem cell lineage commitment and tumor microenvironment-associated tumor growth and metastasis • Investigation of cell surface engineering-induced cell-cell/cell-matrix interactions and their roles in regulating various in vitro cellular functions and in vivo engraftment Researcher Professor
Sung-Sik Hur, Ph.D. B.S., Materials Science, Seoul National Univ., Korea, 1995 M.S., Materials Science, Seoul National Univ., Korea, 1998 Ph.D., Bioengineering, UC San Diego, USA, 2007 Postdoctoral Researcher, Bioengineering, UC Irvine, USA, 2007 – 2008 Postdoctoral Researcher, Bioengineering, UC San Diego, USA, 2009 – 2013 Assistant Project Scientist, Bioengineering, UC San Diego, USA, 2013-2019 Research Professor, SIMS, Soonchunhyang University, Korea, 2019 – current His current research interest is to understand the roles of cell-matrix/cell-cell interactions on controlling the lineage-specific fate determination of human pluripotent stem cells into functional musculoskeletal progenitors and cancer progression and metastasis using Traction Force Microscopy (TFM). Postdoctoral Researcher Joohyun Kim, Ph.D. B.S., Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Gachon Univ., Korea, 2009 M.S., School of Dentistry, Kyungbook National Univ. , Korea, 2012 Ph.D., Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Science and Technology, Korea, 2020 Her current research interest is to understand the roles of tumor microenvironment, including multi-celllular components and insoluble extracellular matrix, in controlling the tumor growth and metastasis, focusing on mechanotransduction of head & neck cancer cells. George Augustine, Ph.D. B.S., Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Loyola College, Univ. of Madras, Chennai (India) M.S., Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India Ph.D., Anna University, Chennai, India Senior Research Fellow (SRF), Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai, India Research Scientist Jinhui Rhee, M.S. B.S. Life Science, Hoseo University, Republic of Korea M.S. Biochemistry, Hoseo University, Republic of Korea Jiwon Son, M.S. B.S. Department of Biomedical Science, Cha University, Republic of Korea M.S. College of Medicine, Korea University, Republic of Korea Graduate Students Yunhye Kim B.S., Department of Medical Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University Her current Ph.D. research work focuses on understanding the roles of LMNA in chondrocyte de-differentiation and its application. Ji Hoon Jeong B.S., Department of Medical Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University M.S., Department of integrated Biomedical Science, SIMS, Soonchunhyang University His current Ph.D. research work focuses on fate determination of human pluripotent stem cells through cell-matrix interaction as well as cell surface engineering. Laurensia Danis Anggradita B.S., Department of Biology, Atma Jaya Catholic Univ., Indoneisa Her current Ph.D. research work focuses on understanding molecular mechanism of keloid skin disorders and repitulation of 3D keloid skin microenvrionment using skin tissue-derived decellularized extracellular matrix as a 3D printable bioink. Madhurima Nandy B.S., Department of Life Science, Presidency University, India M.S., Department of Biotechnology, Madurai Kamraj University, India Her current Ph.D. research interest is to investigate the potentially beneficial applications of cell surface engineering into stem cell fate determination into skeletal muscle progenitors and their in vivo engraftment. Pham Thi Nghia B.S., Faculty of Biotechnology, International University - Vietnam National University Her current Ph.D. research interest is to understand the roles of podocyte microenvironment in controlling the podocyte growth and their in vitro functions, focusing on mechanotransduction of podocytes. Kyungmu Noh B.S., Department of Medical Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University His current M.S. research work focuses on development of functional conjunctiva tissues using patient’s conjunctiva-derived epithelial cells and fibroblasts, and understanding the molecular mechanism of pterygium based on 3D modeling. Odelia Levana B.S., Department of Biology, Atma Jaya Catholic Univ., Indoneisa Her current M.S. research work focuses on understanding roles of LMNA in mesodermal lineage commitment of embryonic stem cells and their subsequent contribution to the chondrogenesis of stem cells. Undergraduate student Doyoung Kim Senior student, Department of Clinical Pathology, Soonchunhyang University Alumni Mona Fendereski M.S. thesis title: Understanding roles of biomimetic matrix-based cues on regulation of myogenic differentiation Graduation date: 2017.2 Current position: Ph.D. student at University of Southern Mississippi, USA Hyunbum Kim Previous position: Research Scientist (2017. 9.1 ~ 2019. 8. 31) Current position: Postdoctoral Researcher, Harvard Medical School, USA Soyoung Kim B.S. thesis title: Anti-microbial properties of lignin-based compounds Graduation date: 2018.2 Research Scientist, National Cancer Center, Republic of Korea Yejin Park B.S. thesis title: Development of 3D-printable biomimetic material-based bioinks Graduation date: 2019.8 Research Scientist |
1. S. Hong, S. Oh, D. Choi, Y. Hwang#, and S. Kim#: "Self-organized Liver Microtissue on a Bio-functional Surface: the Role of Human Adipose-derived Stromal Cells in Hepatic Function", International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2020, 21(13), 4605. (#denotes co-corresponding authors)
2. S. Hur, J. Jeong, J. Yoon, and Y. Hwang: "Traction force microscopy for understanding cellular mechanotransduction", BMB Reports, 2020, 53(2), 74-81.
3. J. Sah, N. Hao, Y. Kim, T. Eigler, E. Tzahor, S. Kim#, Y. Hwang#, and J. Yoon#: “MBP-FGF2-immobilized matrix maintains the self-renewal and myogenic differentiation potential of skeletal muscle stem cells”, International Journal of Stem Cells, 2019, 12, 360-366. (#denotes co-corresponding authors)
4. C. Ahn, Y. Kim, S. Park, Y. Hwang#, and J. Lee#: “Development of arginine-glycine-aspartate-immobilized 3D printed poly(propylene fumarate) scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering” Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition, 2018, 29(7-9), 917-931. (#denotes co-corresponding authors)
5. H. Kim, Y. Lee, Y. Kim, Y. Hwang#, and N. Hwang#: “Biomimetically reinforced polyvinyl alcohol-based hybrid scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering” (#denotes co-corresponding authors) Polymers, 2017, 9(12), 655.
6. M. Nakasaki, Y. Hwang, Y. Xie, S. Kataria, R. Gund, E. Y. Hajam, R. Samuel, R. George, D. Danda, P. MJ, T. Nakamura, Z. Shen, S. Briggs, S. Varghese, and C. Jamora: “The matrix protein Fibulin-5 lies at the interface of tissue stiffness and inflammation in fibrosis” Nature Communications, 2015, 6:8574.
7. H. Kabra#, Y. Hwang#, M. Kar, and S. Varghese: “Biomimetic material-assisted delivery of stem cells enhances in vivo engraftment” ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering, 2015, 1, 7-12. (# denotes joint first author)
8. Y-R. V. Shih, Y. Hwang, A. Phadke, H. Kang, N. Hwang, E. Caro, S. Nguyen, M. Siu, E. Theodorakis, N. Gianneschi, K. Vecchio, S. Chien, O. Lee, and S. Varghese: “Calcium phosphate-bearing matrices induce osteogenic differentiation of stem cells through adenosine signaling.” Proceedings of National Academy of Science, 2014, 111(3): 990-5.
9. C. Chang#, Y. Hwang#, D. Brafman, T. Hagan, C. Phung, and S. Varghese: “Engineering cell-material interfaces for long-term expansion of human pluripotent stem cells” Biomaterials, 2013, 34(4), 912-21. (# denotes joint first author)
