UNIST and IMB Mainz Join Forces for Innovative Cancer Drug Development

UNIST announced that it has partnered with the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, to advance the development of innovative cancer therapies.

On February 10, the two institutions signed a collaborative agreement for cancer drug development during a ceremony held at the IMB Mainz in Germany. The partnership was marked by an international seminar aimed at sharing research outcomes and outlining future collaboration plans.

Under the agreement, UNIST and IMB Mainz will work together to study synthetic lethality, a genetic interaction that plays a crucial role in genome stability and DNA damage repair, in order to develop innovative cancer treatments.

The collaboration aims to cultivate global talent through exchanges between students and researchers, while expanding connections with various research institutions across Europe for the purpose of new drug development.

Professor Lee is leading the UNIST-IMB Mainz Joint International Seminar in Germany.

Key participants in the joint research include Professor Ja Yil Lee from the Department of Biological Sciences, Distinguished Professor Anton Gartner from the Graduate School of Health Science and Technology, and Professors Seung Woo Cho and Hajin Kim from the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Professor Lee will spearhead biochemical research, while Professor Gartner will focus on genetic studies. Professor Cho is set to employ CRISPR screening techniques to identify synthetic lethality gene pairs, and Professor Kim will conduct single-molecule imaging to elucidate molecular mechanisms. IMB Mainz will evaluate the cellular biological characteristics and oncological toxicity of candidate synthetic lethality genes.

Professor Lee emphasized the significance of collaboration, stating, “By discovering synthetic lethality genes through our joint research, we aim to develop innovative cancer drugs with fewer cancer-specific side effects.”

This partnership signifies a major step forward in cancer research, aiming to unlock new therapeutic avenues that can lead to safer and more effective treatments for patients.