Department Introduction
| Research Area | Contens |
|---|---|
| Fundamental mechanisms of plant biomass formation and developing new functional biomaterials | Research is conducted using molecular biology, plant biotechnology, and plant material engineering technologies to study the fundamental mechanisms of plant biomass formation. This knowledge is then applied to develop new bio-based materials with enhanced functionality. |
| Horticultural Crop Breeding and Genetics | 1. Controlling plant architecture for urban agriculture and vertical farming 2. Dissecting redundancy and compensation of ligands and receptors for plant development 3. Improving plant tolerance to abiotic stresses by CRISPR technology. |
| Research on Horticultural Crop Physiology and Ecology and Horticultural Product Processing | 1. Light-induced plant metabolic analysis 2. Plant growth regulations in response to environmental stresses 3. Postharvest treatments to improve horticulture product quality 4. Analysis of bioactive compounds and bioassays in horticultural crops 5. Bioconversion of secondary metabolites |
| Crop Biochemistry | Research is conducted on Xanthomonas oryzae, the bacteria that causes rice bacterial blight, focusing on resistance-related genes in rice. Using these studies as a basis, related research is also carried out on various diseases and stress factors. |
| Research on Plant Carbohydrates and Cell Wall Biosynthesis | Focused research is conducted on the biosynthesis of plant cell walls composed of carbohydrates. Using genetic information obtained from model plants such as Arabidopsis and Populus, the study explores enzymes and cofactors involved in cell wall biosynthesis, particularly in crops like rice and maize, and elucidates their biochemical functions. |
| Plant Functional Genomics | Research investigates the functional mechanisms and applications of key genes related to growth and functionality of crops, especially rice, and resistance to environmental stresses, including diseases and pests. |
| Crop Systems Genetics | 1. Establishment of research infrastructure and tools for studying plant biointeractions 2. Development of biotechnological systems for gene expression through bacterial artificial chromosomes 3. Research on crop productivity enhancement and stress resistance against climate change using systems biology and phenomics 4. Development of optimized GM crops through useful project designs (industry-driven and environmentally friendly gene discovery) |
| Plant Metabolic Engineering | Research is conducted utilizing rice as a model system to investigate the metabolic pathways and regulatory mechanisms involved in the enhanced accumulation of carotenoids and chlorophylls. 1. Production of high-value carotenoids and their derivatives using advanced plant platforms via GM and CRISPR technologies 2. Stepwise metabolic modulation of carotenoids and their derivatives, Including MEPs, GGPPSs, PSYs, CCDs, and Ors 3. Molecular mechanism of microProtein OsPELs as an inhibitory regulator of chlorophyll and carotenoid accumulation, and their target proteins 4. Structure discovery of interaction complexes among biomolecules, including protein-protein, protein-metabolite, and protein-DNA, using various molecular and AI-based prediction tools |
| Plant Biochemistry | 1. Research using proteomics to study light signaling in plants 2. Investigation of protein ubiquitination in light signaling pathways 3. Research on the biochemical functions of bacteriophytochromes 4. Development of medical proteins using molecular farming 5. Development of new epitope peptide tag |
| Crop Informatics | Research focuses on developing a crop information database through the analysis and experimental validation of omics big data using AI-based tools. Efforts are also directed toward securing valuable genetic resources and conducting data-driven studies on gene functions. |
| Name | Position | Degree | University | Major | Research Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ko, Jae-Heung | Full Professor | Ph.D. | Yonsei University | Plant Molecular Biology | Research on the formation and functional development of plant biomass | jhko@khu.ac.kr |
| Kwon, Choon-Tak | Associate Professor | Ph.D. | Seoul National University | Crop Genetic Breeding | Horticultural Crop Breeding and Genetics | ctkwon@khu.ac.kr |
| Eom, Seok Hyun | Full Professor | Ph.D. | Cornell University | Plant eco-physiology | Horticultural Crop Physiology and Ecology | se43@khu.ac.kr |
| Lee, Sang-Won | Full Professor | Ph.D. | Kyung Hee University | Biochemistry | Crop biochemistry | swlee6803@khu.ac.kr |
| Lee, Chan-hui | Associate Professor | Ph.D. | University of Georgia | Plant Molecular Biology | Research on plant carbohydrates/cell wall synthesis | chan521@khu.ac.kr |
| Jeon, Jong-Seong | Full Professor | Ph.D. | Seoul National University | Plant Functional Genomics | Crop Functional Genomics | jjeon@khu.ac.kr |
| Jung, Ki-Hong | Full Professor | Ph.D. | POSTECH | Plant Functional Genomics | Crop systems Genetics | khjung2010@khu.ac.kr |
| Hwa, Sun-Hwa | Full Professor | Ph.D. | Kyungpook University | Plant Molecular Biology | Plant metabolic Engineering | sunhwa@khu.ac.kr/td> |
| Bhoo, Seong Hee | Full Professor | Ph.D. | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Biochemistry | Biochemistry | shbhoo@khu.ac.kr |
| Hong, Woo-Jong | Assistant Professor | Ph.D. | Kyung Hee University | Crop Informatics | Research on crop big data informatization and functional studies of valuable genetic resources using big data | hwj0602@khu.ac.kr |