UNIST has secured five projects under the national  2026 Basic Research Laboratory (BRL) Project , earning KRW 7.5 billion in government funding over the next three years. The projects span life sciences, physics, materials science, and biomedical engineering, bringing together interdisciplinary teams to address fundamental scientific challenges.

Administered by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), the BRL Program supports collaborative basic research that benefits from the combined expertise of multiple investigators. Each selected project will receive KRW 1.5 billion over three years.

Three of the five newly funded projects are led by faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences—an exceptional outcome for a single department.

Professor Byoung Heon Kang will lead a project investigating how mitochondrial reprogramming within the tumor microenvironment drives cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. Joining the project are Professors Sebyung Kang, Young Chan Chae, and Sung-Min Hwang from the Department of Biological Sciences, whose expertise spans cancer metabolism, cell signaling, and tumor biology.

Professor Sung-ho Park will direct the Center for Tissue-Resident Macrophage Homeostasis, examining how tissue-resident macrophages maintain immune balance and how their functions become disrupted during infection and aging. Professors Sangjoon Lee and Jung-Seok Kim from the Department of Biological Sciences will participate as co-investigators.

Professor Jayil Lee will lead a project exploring how the three-dimensional organization of chromatin regulates gene expression. The research will investigate how distant regulatory elements interact with target genes to control transcription, integrating expertise in genome architecture, molecular imaging, and chemical biology through collaborations with Professor Hajin Kim from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Professor Duyoung Min from the Department of Chemistry, and Professor Inwha Baek of Kyung Hee University.

Professor Chaenyung Cha will establish the In Situ Programmable Bioprinting Laboratory for Spinal Cord Regeneration, developing bioprinting technologies that precisely position biomaterials and signaling molecules according to the biological environment of injured spinal tissue. The project brings together Professors Jeong Beom Kim and Jinmyoung Joo from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor Seong Geun Yoon of Ulsan University Hospital, combining expertise in biomaterials, tissue engineering, and clinical medicine.

Professor Jung-Woo Yoo will lead a multidisciplinary team investigating spin structures and spin dynamics in quantum materials. Working with Professors Ho-Seop Jin, Yoonseok Oh, and Seokhyung Lee from the Department of Physics, the researchers aim to establish a unified understanding of spatiotemporal spin correlations, providing a scientific foundation for future quantum devices and spintronic technologies.

Together, the five projects reflect UNIST's interdisciplinary research model, bringing together scientists from multiple fields to tackle complex questions in fundamental science.

“The selection of these five BRL projects reflects the strength of UNIST's basic research and its collaborative research environment,” said KwanMyung Kim, Dean for Research Affairs at UNIST. “We will continue to strengthen long-term fundamental research and interdisciplinary collaboration, expanding the scientific foundations for future advances in biotechnology, quantum science, and advanced materials.”