SEOUL, South Korea,
Jan. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/
-- Some of the greatest challenges that scientists face today
surround human health and well-being. Diseases such as cancer are
claiming more victims than ever before and scientists are
dedicating their lives to help us understand and overcome them.
Environmental stresses are deteriorating our quality of life,
thereby increasing the incidence of many diseases. Yonsei University is encouraging research groups to
work on solutions to combat diseases, improve quality of life, and
enhance human understanding.
In South Korea, one in three
people die from cancer mainly owing to recurrence and metastasis. A
collaborative effort between four research Institutes has revealed
the mechanism behind survival of metastatic cancer cells. Published
in Nature Communications, the study shows that cancer cells
increase their metastatic potential by inhibiting the expression of
a key metabolic gene phosphofructokinase, platelet (PFKP) through a
particular protein called 'Snail,' resulting in their own metabolic
reprogramming and survival during cancer metastasis. These findings
open the door for new treatment options with a metabolic target
that can prevent cancer recurrence and metastasis.
A team led by Prof. Boyoun Park
from the Department of Systems Biology at Yonsei University found that cellular nucleic
acid-binding protein (CNBP), a key protein in forebrain
development, regulates immune responses and provides insights into
the molecular pathologies of autoimmune diseases and various
cancers. They proved that CNBP acts as a key transcriptional
regulator of sustained expression of interleukin 6, an important
factor for the development of cells that fight infections. Their
results are expected to facilitate the development of improved
therapeutic strategies for cancers and autoimmune diseases.
We have been trying to cure cancer for decades. Increasingly
indulgent lifestyles and viral infections such as Hepatitis B and C
drastically increase the chances of developing hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC) that often invades and blocks the portal vein,
causing portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). This research
group from the Yonsei University
College of Medicine investigated the best therapeutic approach for
patients with both HCC and PVTT, who only survive for about 3
months. Their findings indicate that radiotherapy at an optimal
dose of over 45 Gy (Gray, the unit of measure for radiation)
combined with other therapies such as removing a part of the liver,
liver transplant, or injecting an agent to prevent blood flow to
the tumor offers patients the best hope for improved, increased
survival.
Research by a collaborative team of medical and engineering
researchers from Yonsei University
promises us a future wherein a chronic injury can be treated as
easily as a minor cut or scrape. The group has developed stem cell
sheets with excellent wound healing properties for chronic
injuries. These sheets are manufactured using adipose-derived stem
cells and conductive polymers. The group is currently waiting for
the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) to approve the
therapy for a clinical trial.
In addition to improving human health and well-being, scientists
from Yonsei University have also
enhanced our understanding of the universe. Astrophysicists from
Yonsei have used theoretical
predictions from phase space analyses to compare with observed data
and demonstrated consistent behavior patterns for galaxies.
Researchers from the School of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering at Yonsei are also making
breakthroughs to make human life easier in the digital age. They
have developed a fast, efficient, and innovative algorithm, called
DASC, which can match two images taken in very different
conditions. The algorithm outperforms conventional approaches and
will be an essential tool for futuristic applications that require
automated matching for multi-modal and multi-spectral images.
Although most of the research from Yonsei
University is geared to help the entire species, social
scientists are focusing on the local population. A research group
from the Graduate School of Information highlighted differences in
usage patterns and motivations of South Korean social media users.
Another group from the Department of Public Administration
elucidated that central governments are more effective at long-term
projects involving uncertainty, whereas local governments with
higher accountability are better at short-term projects to increase
public satisfaction or awareness.
Please visit Yonsei University
Research Archives to know about multiple other scientific
advances.
About Yonsei University
After introducing modern higher education over a century ago,
Yonsei University has emerged as
South Korea's top private
university and ranks among the world's most prestigious
universities. It has been the driving force behind Korea's economic
and political growth, and it continues lead the way in
forward-thinking research and education for a changing society. The
university has 3 campuses (in Sinchon, Songdo, and Wonju)
comprising 21 colleges, 19 graduate schools, and 120 research
centers, where an administrative staff of over 1000 and more than
5000 local and international professors cater to the needs of
37,000+ students. Please visit http://www.yonsei.ac.kr/en_sc/ for
more details.
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SOURCE Yonsei University