Protein homeostasis (aka, proteostasis) – the equilibrium and optimal biological function of cellular proteins – is crucial for proper cellular functioning; its
imbalance is closely associated with diverse human diseases, including neurodegeneration and cancers.
Maintenance of proteostasis is attained through the coordinated action of the proteolytic machinery that preserve the proteome integrity.
Especially, the critical contribution of ubiquitin-proteasome system(UPS) to cellular proteostasis has been increasingly recognized in recent years.
We strive to understand cellular proteolytic mechanisms and develop new strategies for improving proteostasis by exploiting the UPS.
We are particularly interested in investigating proteasome, the master player in protein degradation,
and critical deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) in human pathophysiology.
Our group is trying to develop chemo-genomic methods to modulate the deubiquitinatio n activities acting upstream of and on the proteasome to explore novel deubiquitination biology. By developing new class of chemical proteolytic inducers and DUB inhibitors, we aim to define novel drug targets in protein quality control machinery and ultimately seek for proteolysis-based therapeutic strategies for human health.
As climate change, environmental pollution and depletion of resources become one of the biggest global issues today, the world has put various efforts to achieve energy-savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction through sustainable development. Along with such global problems and issues, construction industry, which is responsible for one fourth of GHG emissions, is also facing the need and demand for changes in its technology, management skills and research area. Recently, there is a growing interest in convergence of various technologies such as wireless communication, sensor network, automation, and etc., which led to the emergence of Internet of things (IoT) in building sector, the inter-networking of various smart devices with buildings.
We are carrying out a wide range of researches such as analysis/design/construction to guarantee the safety and usability of high-rise buildings, maintenance, alarm integration system and structural/seismic design through optimization algorithm. In this regard, we play a central role in co-ordination of industry-academia-research cooperation such as Technical guidance and evaluation of domestic government and industries, Cooperation with domestic and international research institutes. Furthermore, we are contributing to the advancement of the domestic and international construction industry through the development of core technologies and future-oriented research, and by combining various fields.