Congratulations to and on the acceptance of this landmark study in Cell Reports, revealing the 3D genomic architecture underlying osteoblast differentiation.
A special congratulations to co-first authors and , whose years of dedicated collaboration and relentless effort in the lab made this work possible. Their sustained partnership — spanning experimental design, multi-omics data generation, and mechanistic validation — is the backbone of this publication and a testament to what long-term scientific commitment can achieve.
Functional maturation of osteoblasts from skeletal stem cells requires genome-wide transcriptional reprogramming, coincident with large-scale remodeling of active (A) and inactive (B) chromatin compartments. Using integrative high-throughput 3D genome profiling, the team demonstrated that early osteogenic reprogramming is governed by higher-order 3D genome regulation tightly coupled to A/B compartment remodeling near osteogenic loci.
A key discovery is the concept of histone priming — B-to-A compartment shifts were found to be pre-marked in pre-osteoblasts by active histone modifications before osteogenic induction, indicating that the genome is epigenetically poised for activation prior to differentiation cues. Mechanistically, the study identifies ETS1 as the pioneer factor responsible for recruiting the histone acetyltransferase p300 (EP300) to establish this priming state and drive A-compartment transitions. This stage-specific regulation was validated in both cultured osteoblasts and during embryonic calvarial bone development in vivo, establishing its physiological relevance. This publication establishes a new mechanistic framework connecting pioneer factor activity, histone priming, and global 3D genome reorganization in bone formation — a foundational contribution to skeletal epigenomics.
Congratulations to and — a landmark translational study now accepted in Advanced Functional Materials, one of the top-tier materials science journals with an impact factor of 19.9.
This interdisciplinary collaboration spanning multiple international institutions presents a breakthrough platform combining immune-responsive bioinks with vision-guided robotic bioprinting for in situ treatment of diabetic wounds. The system leverages real-time image recognition to autonomously guide a robotic arm in depositing bioink directly onto irregular wound geometries, eliminating the need for pre-fabricated constructs and enabling truly patient-specific therapy at the bedside.
The bioink formulation is engineered to actively modulate the wound immune microenvironment by reprogramming macrophage polarization from pro-inflammatory (M1) to regenerative (M2) phenotypes, a critical bottleneck in chronic diabetic wound healing. The integrated system demonstrated superior wound closure rates, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling in diabetic animal models, underscoring its potential as a next-generation clinical bioprinting platform.
Co-first authors include , Seol-Ha Jeong, and Eleftheria Angeliki Valsam, with Prof. Su Ryon Shin (Harvard Medical School) and as co-corresponding authors — a testament to the lab's deepening collaboration with Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Congratulations to and collaborators on the publication in Journal of Energy Storage (Volume 179, Part B, November 2026).
This study presents a comprehensive material-resolved patent landscape analysis of all-solid-state battery (ASSB) electrolytes — a rapidly growing field at the intersection of energy storage and advanced materials. By systematically mapping thousands of patents across material categories, the team reconstructed the technology evolution trajectory of solid electrolytes including oxides, sulfides, and polymer-based systems.
Using network analysis, the study also uncovered key international collaboration structures among academic institutions, national labs, and industry players, revealing clusters of innovation and identifying whitespace opportunities for future development. The findings provide actionable intelligence on commercialization bottlenecks and strategic IP positioning, offering a roadmap for researchers and industry stakeholders navigating the ASSB patent ecosystem.
Authors include Kyeong-Weon Park, Young-Jun Lee, Ji-Wan Kim, Da-ae Lim, DongWon Kim, and as co-corresponding author. doi: 10.1016/j.est.2026.123916
Congratulations to on being selected for the 2026 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Young Researcher Program (신진연구과제).
The funded project, titled "노화골재생저하극복을위한개척전사인자표적골특이적후성유전조절플랫폼개발," aims to develop a bone-specific epigenetic regulatory platform targeting pioneer transcription factors as a strategy to overcome the age-related decline in bone regeneration. By identifying and modulating the epigenetic mechanisms through which pioneer transcription factors lose their regenerative competency during aging, the project seeks to establish a precision therapeutic framework for restoring bone tissue repair capacity in elderly patients.
This competitive grant, awarded by the Ministry of Science and ICT through the NRF, recognizes outstanding early-career investigators with strong independent research potential and reflects Prof. Kim's emerging leadership in epigenomic aging research at the intersection of chromatin biology and skeletal medicine.
Congratulations to on being awarded big grants (3+3+3) through the Seoul National University Creative-Pioneering Researchers Program — a university-level initiative supporting innovative and interdisciplinary research led by SNU faculty.
Securing grant simultaneously under this program is a notable achievement, underscoring Prof. Kim's capacity to pursue multiple high-impact research directions in parallel. This internal funding will complement the lab's externally funded projects and accelerate the development of new research lines at the intersection of bioengineering, epigenomics, and precision medicine.
Congratulations to on securing a 2026 NRF Academic Research Support Grant (이공분야 학술연구지원사업, 기본연구B — 포용형) from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
The funded project, titled "단일세포 트리플 멀티오믹스와 생성형 AI 기반 종양 미세환경 시뮬레이션을 통한 폐암 뼈 전이 기전 규명 및 치료 타겟 발굴," aims to decipher the mechanisms of lung cancer bone metastasis through an integrated approach combining single-cell triple multi-omics (genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics at single-cell resolution) with generative AI-based tumor microenvironment simulation.
By constructing high-resolution maps of the bone metastatic niche and simulating cellular crosstalk dynamics using generative models, the project seeks to identify novel therapeutic targets that can be translated into clinical strategies against one of the most intractable forms of metastatic disease. This grant positions Prof. Kim's lab at the forefront of AI-driven cancer biology in Korea.
Congratulations to — the research team at Seoul National University School of Dentistry has been selected for the 2025 Global Basic Research Laboratory (글로벌 기초연구실) Program, securing ₩1.5 billion in funding over three years.
The project, titled "Epigenetic Regulation of Musculoskeletal Aging by Pioneer Transcription Factors," aims to uncover the mechanisms behind age-related decline in muscle and bone regeneration, focusing on the epigenetic dysregulation of pioneer transcription factors such as ETS1. The team will leverage AI-driven multi-omics analysis to identify therapeutic targets that counteract regenerative decline.
The research integrates cutting-edge technologies including Hi-C, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, and Methyl-seq for structural epigenomics, scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq for single-cell profiling, and image-AI fusion screening — constructing a precision epigenomic atlas spanning muscle–bone multi-organ interactions.
Co-investigators include (AI-based epigenomic screening algorithms), Prof. Young-Dan Cho (SNU Dental Hospital, human tissue & IRB management), and Prof. Kyoung-Mi Woo (biomaterials & tissue engineering, aged animal model evaluation) — forming a one-stop research pipeline from data generation → AI analysis → animal & patient validation.
Prof. Kim stated: "By combining our collaborative experience with global institutions including Harvard Medical School and the infrastructure of SNU's Dental Multi-Omics Center, we aim to build a world-class epigenomic database for aging and regeneration — a foundation for next-generation therapeutic strategies against age-related musculoskeletal diseases."
Congratulations on the publication by — a landmark multi-omics study conducting RNA-seq analysis across 66 samples of gastric cancer metastasis.
scRNA-seq experiments were performed to identify gene sets illustrating characteristics of gastric cancer metastasis. The study demonstrates predictive power using both classical machine learning and deep learning techniques, validated through multiple publicly available datasets. Ultimately confirming the involvement of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) signals in cancer cell metastasis.
This publication, without extensive experimental validation, underscores the real-world impact of bioinformatics and NGS technologies in high-impact clinical research.
A collaborative study published in Trends in Biotechnology, by and Prof. Su Ryon Shin (Harvard Medical School), alongside an international team from Harvard, BWH, and multiple institutions.
The study presents an innovative bioengineering approach to volumetric muscle loss (VML) — a condition where large segments of skeletal muscle are irreversibly damaged. The team engineered large-scale hiPSC-derived muscle-like lattices integrated with vascular networks, enabling enhanced oxygen and nutrient delivery critical for thick tissue survival. This vessel-integrated architecture significantly improved muscle fiber maturation and regenerative outcomes in vivo, offering a promising platform for next-generation cell-based therapies for severe muscle injuries.
Published in ACS Nano, and Prof. Su Ryon Shin as co-corresponding authors, in collaboration with researchers from EMBRAPA, USP, and Harvard Medical School.
This study developed a dual-layer membrane hydrogel platform using hierarchical chitin nanocrystals fabricated via 3D printing, designed for dual drug delivery in periodontal tissue regeneration. The nano-structured architecture enables spatially controlled release of therapeutic agents, simultaneously targeting both soft tissue (gingival) and hard tissue (alveolar bone) regeneration. The platform demonstrated superior biocompatibility and regenerative efficacy, representing a significant advance in nanomaterial-based periodontal therapeutics.
Led by , in collaboration with Prof. Kyung Mi Woo and colleagues from SNU and University of Michigan.
This study reveals that lncRNA MALAT1 acts as a key mediator of fibrous topography-induced pathologic calcification — a common complication in cardiovascular implants and soft tissue engineering scaffolds. Fibrous surface architecture was shown to drive trans-differentiation of myoblasts into osteoblast-like cells, and MALAT1 was identified as the central regulatory lncRNA orchestrating this process. Knockdown of MALAT1 effectively suppressed aberrant calcification, highlighting it as a novel therapeutic target for preventing biomaterial-associated ectopic ossification.
Congratulations to Prof. Hyun-Mo Ryoo, , , and Ph.D. candidate .
This paper presents a novel algorithm for integrating epigenome peaks from multiple samples, overcoming key limitations in previous epigenome research and providing a reproducible tool for large-scale epigenomics. This marks the lab's first methodology publication — a foundational contribution for all future research.
Led by Prof. Yoon Young Choi (Soonchunhyang University) and . The study conducted Whole Exome Sequencing on 99 primary and matched metastatic gastric cancer tumors from 15 patients.
Results revealed that genomic changes differ according to metastatic routes, and genomic characteristics of metastatic tumors have a greater impact on patient prognosis than primary tumors. Reconstructed evolutionary relationships showed distinct patterns — "Branched" and "Diaspora" types — with the Diaspora type exhibiting high tumor heterogeneity, implying poor prognosis due to chemotherapy resistance.
Research led by and Prof. Hyun-Mo Ryoo as corresponding authors. The study discovered that NAM promotes osteoblast differentiation and boosts mitochondrial metabolism by enhancing antioxidant enzyme expression via SIRT3 activation and FOXO3A transcription.
NAM prevents both weak/chronic and strong/acute oxidative stress during osteoblast differentiation. These findings suggest NAM as a potential preventive or therapeutic approach for ROS-related bone disorders.