Selected as No. 1 Pharmaceutical College Research Center Support Business by MEST (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
Dankook University’s Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (Institute Director Professor Kim Hye-won) achieved the highest grade in the Stage Evaluations and showed outstanding research results.
The DKU Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering which is executing MEST’s University’s Main Research Center Support Business advanced to No.1 as it received the highest score in the pharmaceutical field in the Stage Evaluations in its 1st stage from 2009 to Aug. 2012.
As a result, the Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering will be supported with 1,835,000,000 won of government funds - a 5% increase over the original amount promised for the 2nd stage of research for the next 3 years starting from Sep. 2012, and a total of 2,735,000,000 won including the university’s matching funds will be input for the research business.
The Institute is focusing on the tissue restoration of damaged bones, teeth and central nerves, and its goal is to put the technology into practical use through clinical trials after securing original technology to perfectly restore damaged tissue by controlling miscellaneous environments of imitating body tissues.
The institute is focusing on convergence research of bio materials, stem cells and body factors for successful research. A total of 50 researchers including 12 professors majoring in body materials, biomedicine, physiology, chemistry, materials engineering, biochemistry, and rehabilitative medicine along with 8 full time researchers are participating in the research project.
The institute has published about 200 research papers in international academic journals, and it also has 50 domestic and international patents.
Also, to train professionals and to exchange academic research with overseas scholars, the institute is executing joint research with 13 leading organizations overseas including the Dental Research Institute of the University of London and the Life Engineering Research Institute of the College of Engineering of Catalunya University of Spain. Last year, it even won a contract (research fund of about 40 million Korean won) for an international joint assignment for the Australian government with the College of Pharmacy of the University of Sydney.
Director of Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering Kim Hye Won said “With the university’s support for the BT specialization strategy of Cheonan Campus, unification research between disciplines has been drawing successful results,” said Kim Hye-won, Director of the Institute. The institute “will focus on securing original technology and training outstanding scholars while research on tissue regeneration engineering is receiving attention as elderly society is increasing worldwide.”
* (Reference) Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering Homepage: www.itren.kr