Find the answer to the future bio industry in the invisible world

Catholic University's 'STADIUM Center' with Korea's first and state-of-the-art infrastructure is in full operation

In the world of invisible microscopic atoms, a huge movement that will change Korea's bio-future has begun at Catholic University. The "Spatial-Temporary And Disciplined Bio-Imaging Center (STADIUM)" at the Catholic University of Korea Joint Device Center was finally in full operation in February after a long preparation of all infrastructure construction.

Last year, Catholic University was finally selected for the Basic Science Research Capacity Enhancement Project (Infrastructure Advancement Support Project) organized by the Ministry of Education. It is a large-scale national project that will last for five years until February 2030 with the title of "infrastructure advancement ━ Cryo-TEM/Cryo-FIB-SEM & multiscale advanced bioimaging." With Professor Kang Han-chang of the Department of Pharmacy as the research director, 5.72 billion won has been spent on equipment construction alone, and 500 million won in research and operation expenses will be supported every year. With the completion of the infrastructure, Catholic University has proudly emerged as a key base for bio research in the northwest of the Seoul metropolitan area. 

The STADIUM Center is planning to analyze the precise structure from the microscopic atomic level to the cellular and tissue level in the future. Through this, we are ready to increase the competitiveness of our bio-industry to the world-class level by identifying the cause of the disease, developing new drugs and new biomaterials, and researching alternative proteins that will become food for the future.

Mini Interview | Professor Kang Han-chang (Director of Business Research, Department of Pharmacy)

"By attracting large-scale national projects and establishing the nation's first state-of-the-art infrastructure, our university has entered a new leap forward in bio R&D. The STADIUM Center has become a strong cradle of multidisciplinary convergence research, providing students with a world-class research environment We will do our best to bring about successful industry-academic cooperation with the industry."

Preoccupying the global research environment with Korea's first and cutting-edge equipment

Cryo-EM (Cryo-EM) infrastructure for precision analysis to atomic level

The STADIUM Center's most powerful weapon is the nation's top-notch ultra-cold electron microscope infrastructure, perfectly set in a pharmaceutical tube. The researchers are ready with state-of-the-art equipment that can precisely observe the three-dimensional structure of cells and proteins at the atomic level.

200kV cryogenic transmission electron microscope (200kV Cryo-TEM) 'Glacios 2'

First of all, the Pharmacy Hall NPM109-2 boasts a 200kV ultra-low temperature transmission electron microscope "Glacios 2", which is invested with government funding of 3.38 billion won. Currently, only 10 institutions in Korea have such cryo-TEM (Cryo-TEM) equipment, and among them, only two are the latest model "Glacios 2" in Korea. In particular, the "Energy Filter Equipped Glacios 2" introduced by Catholic University is more meaningful because it is the first case in Korea.

Multi-ion cryogenic plasma focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (multi-ion Cryo-FIB-SEM) 'Hydra Bio Plasma FIB'’

The Hydra Bio Plasma FIB, a multi-ion, ultra-low-temperature plasma focused ion beam scanning electron microscope worth 2.43 billion won, was introduced for the first time in Korea in NPM110-2. By securing these two key equipment at the same time, Catholic University has quickly gained the upper hand in a unique bio-research environment that meets global standards.

Mini Interview | Professor Jeong-min Jeong (Director of Joint Equipment Center, Department of Biotechnology))

"With the full-scale operation of advanced equipment, we have a powerful weapon to see and design nanometer-level life phenomena with our own eyes. Based on extensive convergence research and systematic dedicated support infrastructure with excellent researchers inside and outside the school, We will deliver innovative results that lead the global bio market."

Explosive Synergy Created by Multidisciplinary Convergence Researchers

After all, it is the capability of the researchers to complete the value of advanced infrastructure. To lead the innovation of the STADIUM Center, top experts in the bio and medicine fields of Catholic University were all deployed. The project will be led by Professor Kang Han-chang of the Department of Pharmacy, who is the research director and key researcher, and Professor Kim Pil of the Department of Biotechnology, who is the key researcher.

Professor Kang Min-ho (Biomedical Chemical Engineering Department)

In addition, Professor Chung Jung-min of the Department of Biotechnology, an expert in structural biology and Cryo-EM, will head the joint device center and oversee practical infrastructure operation and advanced protein structure analysis research. In addition, Professor Kang Min-ho of the Department of Biomedical Chemical Engineering (BMCE) participated as a key expert in equipment operation and is operating an organic advanced convergence research system.

Professor Cho Yong-yeon (Pharmacy Department)

In particular, we have continuously expanded our participating research personnel to increase the depth of multidisciplinary convergence research. Initially, the project started with a system of eight professors Na Gun, Nam Jae Hwan, Choi Sung-wook, Cho Yong-yeon, Lee Ju-young, Jeong Jung-min, Kang Min-ho, and Kim Kyung-seop, but now that the infrastructure has been completed, new professors Park Dae-hoon, Yoon Jin-ho, Kim Seok-min, and Kang Nae-won have joined. As a result, a total of 11 participating researchers are creating intense multidisciplinary convergence research synergy with their thicker research capabilities.

Professor Kim Kyung-seop (Department of Biologics Engineering)

The researchers are dramatically speeding up the development of new drugs and vaccines by linking artificial intelligence (AI) technology to microstructure analysis, and are focusing their capabilities on solving key future challenges for mankind, such as infectious disease treatments, degenerative neurological disease treatments, and alternative protein research.

24 hours of non-stop research due to the expansion of professional operating personnel

The dedicated operating system has also been solidly completed to support the stable operation of new equipment and high-quality analysis. In addition to researchers Iruda and Park Si-hyun from the existing joint equipment center, researchers Kwon Ki-jung and Lee Kun-woo, who are equipped with advanced device operation expertise, have been newly hired to secure a total of four-person operating personnel. Based on their constant close support, the researchers will be able to quickly and accurately secure data in the best conditions 24 hours a day.

Jumping into industry, academia, and research hub in connection with national high-tech bio-specialized complex

The launch of the STADIUM Center is expected to lead to a driving force to change the topography of the Korean bio-industry beyond strengthening research skills on campus. The center plans to actively promote the commercialization of innovative technologies by bio ventures and startups in close cooperation with Siheung and Incheon, which were recently designated as national high-tech strategic bio-specialized complexes. As a result, attention is also being paid to the ripple effects of the full-fledged operation of the center on science and technology, the economy, and society as a whole. 

First of all, it is anticipated that AI-linked Cryo-EM data analysis will significantly accelerate the development of new drugs and vaccines, as well as lead a paradigm shift in life science and structural biology research in terms of science and technology. In particular, it is anticipated that the development of therapeutics for degenerative neurological diseases will be significantly expanded by intensifying protein aggregation research. 

These technological advances also naturally lead to economic and industrial achievements. The center will play a key role in creating a virtuous cycle bio-industry ecosystem that leads to 'R&D-start-up-production'. This will serve as a solid foothold for bio ventures and startups to commercialize innovative technologies, while ultimately driving the creation of meaningful local jobs. 

Lastly, we will take the lead in solving the social challenges facing humanity. We will actively contribute to solving future food problems through research on alternative proteins and customized foods, while contributing to increasing response to infectious diseases and establishing a rapid vaccine and treatment development system.

● Text/Photos: : External Affairs Team, Ahn Jae-min, a job intern