A research team led by Professor Tae-Hyuk Kwon in the Department of Chemistry at UNIST has been selected for the ‘2025 Top 30 Outstanding Healthcare R&D Achievements’ by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea (MOHW). Their breakthrough lies in a next-generation photodynamic cancer therapy that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) by splitting water with light—an unprecedented approach that shows promise for treating hypoxic solid tumors, such as pancreatic cancer.
Unlike traditional photodynamic therapy (PDT), which relies on the oxygen surrounding the tumor and often shows limited efficacy, the new technique generates ROS directly by oxidizing water molecules. These ROS not only attack cancer cells but also stimulate immune responses, even in low-oxygen environments where conventional treatments fail.
In preclinical studies using pancreatic cancer models, the team demonstrated that this method effectively induces pyroptosis—a form of programmed cell death triggered by selective oxidation of cancer cell membrane proteins. This reaction boosts anti-tumor immunity, marking a significant step forward in combining targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
A group photo of Professor Kwon’s research team from the Department of Chemistry at UNIST.
The research, co-led by Dr. Chaeheon Lee and Dr. Mingyu Park, was carried out in collaboration with O2Medi Inc., a biotech startup. The findings were published in Nature Communications, and two domestic patents have been filed based on the technology.
“Our work integrates photosensitizer design, cell death biology, and immunology to propose a transformative strategy in cancer treatment,” said Professor Kwon. “This approach could overcome the current limitations of solid tumor therapy and broaden the potential of combination immunotherapies.”
Building on this achievement, UNIST aims to lead the convergence of photonics, precision oncology, and immunotherapeutics, contributing to the development of high-value Korean-made treatments and addressing global disparities in medical care.
