South Korean, US researchers collaborate on nanomedicine project

New Materials Asia, Sept, 2007

Research teams from Purdue University's Discovery Park and the Korean Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) are collaborating on a $4.5 million project to develop molecular imaging and nanotechnology tools to simultaneously diagnose and treat cancer and chronic and infectious diseases.

KIST and Purdue developed a research proposal using the complementary strengths of both institutions' internationally renowned research groups.

The South Korean Ministry of Science and Technology selected the KIST and Purdue team project from 20 international research proposals submitted to examine how to learn more about the molecular make-up of diseases. The research initiative, which spans nine years, initially will involve dozens of KIST and Purdue researchers.

The leader of the Purdue University team, James Leary, said "Theragnosis is a new concept in next-generation medicine that combines simultaneous diagnostics and therapeutics."

"In this case, we are combining new molecular imaging, biosensing and nanomedical techniques, linking our stateof-the-art facilities and equipment in Discovery Park with researchers and advanced labs in South Korea. It's truly an international, interdisciplinary team effort," Leary continued.

The Purdue team is working with Kuiwon Choi of KIST, who will lead the South Korean research team along with Ick Chan Kwon, the co-principal investigator of the programme.

As a part of the project, KIST and Purdue researchers will work to advance the role that nanoparticles can play in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer or chronic diseases like diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

"This research programme is believed to be the first in the world to integrate molecular imaging and nanomedicine with chemistry, drug delivery, cell biology and molecular biology, as well as cell engineering and clinical medicine," Leary said.

"These disciplines together are far more powerful in advancing medicine than they are individually. This advances our research efforts to examine how we can treat diseases at the molecular level."

For further information, contact: Korean Institute of Science and Technology, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Deongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791, South Korea; Internet: www.kist.re.kr/En/index.asp