Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Establishes 'Antiviral Research Center'
Active Response to COVID-19 and Emerging Viruses
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (President Kim Ki-seon·GIST) announced on the 9th that it has established an Antiviral Research Center (Director Park Sung-kyu) to actively respond to emerging viruses that cause infectious diseases.
The research center was established to rapidly respond to emerging viruses causing infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), and to create a core group of experts from various fields to conduct top-level antiviral research in protection, diagnosis, and treatment.
The main research scope of the center includes developing and researching protection against infectious disease-causing viruses, diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics, and further approaching the life cycle of infectious disease-causing viruses in a systematic manner.
It aims to build an antiviral research model and develop response technologies through interdisciplinary convergence and strategic research on various problems caused by emerging viruses.
In particular, beyond the ongoing development of COVID-19 response technologies, GIST aims to proactively respond to newly emerging viruses after the end of COVID-19 and to produce the best research outcomes in the antiviral field so that GIST’s research capabilities can contribute to the international community.
The research center has formed an expert advisory group composed of specialists from various fields for multidisciplinary research on antivirals.
Researchers participating in the center are organized into detailed fields for protection, diagnosis, therapeutics, vaccines, and mechanism research.
Led by Director Professor Park Sung-kyu, researchers include ▲Protection technology: Professors Choi Hee-cheol, Kwon In-chan, Jeon Chang-deok ▲Diagnostic technology: Professors Lee Kwang-rok, Song Young-min, Park Ji-hwan ▲Therapeutic development: Professors Kim Yong-chul, Seo Ji-won, Jin Mi-sun ▲Vaccine development: Professors Park Sung-kyu, Lee Hyun-joo, Park Jin-joo ▲Mechanism research: Professors Jeon Young-soo, Oh Chang-myung, Eom Su-hyun, who collaborate and conduct joint convergence research.
Moreover, the center plans to conduct cutting-edge research based on close cooperation with GIST’s Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, Laboratory Animal Resource Center, and Institute for Life and Aging.
Director Park Sung-kyu said, “The GIST Antiviral Research Center will actively conduct not only traditional research but also interdisciplinary convergence and strategic research on various problems caused by emerging viruses,” adding, “We expect to play a proactive role in antiviral research by building virus research models and developing response technologies that enable rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases and further suggest treatment methods.”
Meanwhile, in April, GIST called for urgent research projects to develop and commercialize COVID-19 response technologies and selected six final projects.
The selected projects are ▲Development of bio-disinfectants to prevent coronavirus infection (Professor Kwon In-chan) ▲Development of virus infection prevention and treatment technologies through discovery of COVID-19 main protease (3CLpro) target inhibitors and food supplements (Professor Kim Yong-chul) ▲High-reliability patch-type oxygen saturation and temperature sensor for monitoring arrivals (Professor Song Young-min) ▲Development of early diagnostic technology for COVID-19 and similar CoV infections with accuracy within 15 minutes (Professor Lee Kwang-rok) ▲Development of nasopharyngeal and throat spray to block COVID-19 infection based on ACE2-derived peptides (Professor Jeon Young-soo) ▲Development and commercialization of safe mask nanofiber filters using green solvents (Professor Choi Hee-cheol). All principal investigators of these projects participate as experts in the GIST Antiviral Research Center.
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Each project receives up to 50 million KRW in research funding, and related research will continue until the end of the year. The results are being promoted for immediate application in the field by linking with local governments and companies.
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