Professor Jiyoung Park from the Department of Biological Sciences at UNIST, has been honored with the prestigious ‘KSMCB Award for Women in Life Science‘ at the 2023 International Conference of the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology (ICKSMCB). The conference was held at the International Convention Center (ICC) JEJU, located in Jeju Island, from November 6 to 8, 2023.
The Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology (KSMCB), a prominent society in the field of life science, has been selecting and honoring women scientists who have made outstanding contributions to life science research since 2016 with the prestigious KSMCB Award for Women in Life Science. The winners are chosen through a rigorous screening process by the Academic Research Award Committee, with recommendations from full members of the society. Previous recipients of the award have been exceptional as well, including Director Inhee Mook of the Korea Dementia Research Center, who is also a Professor at Seoul National University School of Medicine, and Director Mi-Ock Lee at the Seoul National University Biolipids Interactomics Research Center.
Professor Park’s award recognizes her significant contributions to the study of disease pathogenesis, particularly in the areas of obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Since joining the UNIST Department of Life Sciences in 2014, Professor Park has been dedicated to investigating the role of endotropin in obesity and diabetes, as well as exploring the relationship between obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Her research aims to identify new disease mechanisms and molecular targets, leading to the development of effective treatment strategies.
Recently, Professor Park’s work has garnered attention from both academia and the media for her groundbreaking discovery of cancer-related fat cells that directly influence breast cancer metastasis.
Expressing her gratitude for the award, Professor Park stated, “This award serves as motivation for me to further devote myself to research.” She added, “I will strive to develop innovative technologies for the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and cancer, which are prevalent diseases in modern society.”
The award presentation ceremony took place during the annual academic conference of KSMCB in November 2023, where Professor Park delivered a keynote speech under the topic of “Molecular Mechanisms Linking Obesity, Diabetes, and Cancer,” as the recipient of the award.
