World-renowned Genomics Scientist Professor Charles Lee to Conduct Research at Catholic University

- World-class Authority on Human Genome Copy Number Variation (CNV) Research -

- Former President of the Human Genome Organization (HUGO), Recipient of the Hoam Prize and Thomson Reuters Citation Award -

- Expectations for International Collaborative Research and Expansion of Global Networks in Precision Medicine and Biohealth -

Chair Professor Charles Lee (Korean name: Lee Jang-cheol), a world-renowned scholar in the field of genomics, will begin conducting next-generation genomic medicine research in earnest at Catholic University. To further strengthen the university's research capabilities, Catholic University appointed Professor Charles Lee as a Chair Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the College of Medicine in the first half of 2026.

Professor Charles Lee is a world-renowned scholar who served as an assistant and associate professor in the Department of Pathology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and as the Director of the Jackson Laboratory of Genome Medicine from 2013 to 2024. He is currently a professor of genetics and the Associate Dean of the Medical School at the University of Connecticut.

Professor Lee is credited with laying the foundation for the field of genomic structural variation research that has continued for over 20 years, having published research in 2004 that was the first in the world to identify the widespread existence of inter-individual genetic structural variations (CNVs) in the human genome. In recognition of these achievements, he was named "Breakthrough of the Year" by the international journal Science in 2007. He also received the Ho-Am Award for Medicine in 2008 as the youngest recipient in history and the Thomson Reuters Citation Award in 2014, and was mentioned as the first Korean candidate for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He served as President of the Human Genome Organization (HUGO) from 2017 to 2023, and since 2014, he has led international collaborative research as Co-Chair of the Human Genome Structural Variation Consortium. Starting in 2027, he is scheduled to serve as Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Human Genetics and Genomic Advances. Furthermore, his academic achievements have been internationally recognized, including the awarding of an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Alberta, selection as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and full membership in the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST).

The Catholic University of Korea plans to strengthen its research capabilities in precision medicine and biohealth by integrating genomic structural variation analysis technology with clinical research through Professor Charles Lee's research activities. In particular, the plan is to promote next-generation genomic medicine research centered on the Department of Microbiology at the College of Medicine, including AI-based cell-genome convergence research and the identification of genomic structural variations related to rare, intractable, and infectious diseases. Furthermore, the university intends to expand the foundation for translational research by linking with the vast clinical data held by hospitals under the Catholic Medical Center. In addition, the university plans to expand joint research with leading overseas research institutions and international academic exchanges by leveraging the international network established by Professor Charles Lee.

Catholic University of Korea President Choi Jun-kyu stated, "Professor Charles Lee's research activities will serve as a significant milestone for the university," adding, "His pioneering research and global leadership will inspire our research staff and talents, driving the advancement of precision medicine and leading to impactful new international collaborative research."

● Author: Public Relations Team, Seongui Campus