Professor Suh Jin-seok Receives Korea Best Scientist Award for 2007 The World of Nanomedical Imaging: A New Paradigm of Cancer Diagnosis Microscopic particles invisible to the naked eye are injected into blood vessels. These particles automatically swim toward cancer cells and points us to the exact location in which cancer cells exist. The particles immediately use anti-cancer medication to destroy the cancer cells. Science fiction? Yes, until a few years ago. This has now become reality, however, for Scientists at Yonsei led by Professor Suh Jin-Seok (Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Medicine) have succeeded in creating intelligent nanoparticles that seek out cancer cells and catch them in their early stages using MRI. Professor Suh is a pioneer in the field of nanomedical imaging and has published 67 papers in SCI and SCIE journals including Nature Medicine. For his efforts, Professor Suh was selected this year’s “Best Scientist.” Professor Suh says his interest in the nanomedical field began in 1997 as he began looking for visible particles in MRI that seek out cancer cells by themselves. He began research in earnest in 2002 and received a significant boost when he teamed up with Professor Chun Jin-woo (Dept. of Chemistry), an expert in the field of nano-element research. The results of this collaboration are gathering a great deal of interest worldwide. These results are expected to make possible huge advancements in the diagnosis of cancer in its early stages. Synergy Between Multiple Fields of Study Professor Suh says that he is very lucky to have an outstanding scholar like Professor Chun on the same campus. The team’s achievements are a good example of the synergy that can be generated when diverse fields being studied at Yonsei can come together in collaborative research. “Prize Money Isn’t Quite Enough” The prize includes a monetary award of 300 million won. When asked what he planned to do with the money, Professor Suh answered that he would use it to buy more equipment for his research. In fact, his team had experienced great inconvenience due to the lack of necessary equipment. Considering the fact that equipment such as Micro CTs and Micro PETs cost anywhere from several billion won to 10 billion won, 300 million doesn’t sound like so much. More Medical Scientists Needed People worry that medical students neglect scientific research and flock to the more lucrative clinical medicine. Professor Suh, however, is confident that medical students can become scientists as well, if they are given proper encouragement. From the Lab to Clinics, and on to Conquer Cancer Professor Suh’s ultimate goal is to apply the results of his research to clinical medicine. Although his research has been very successful, it is not yet ready for use on actual patients. In order to make this happen, Professor Suh claims, investments from pharmaceutical companies are crucial. In the meantime, we can hope for a near future in which Professor Suh’s research will be successfully used to swiftly diagnose and conquer cancer.