Distinguished Speaker
Prof. Won-Gun Koh
Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Yonsei University
Prof. Won-Gun Koh is an Underwood Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Yonsei University. He focuses on various aspects of chemical engineering, including energy storage, nano-materials, and catalysis. Prof. Koh is recognized for his work in advancing the development of new technologies, contributing to both academic research and industry. For more details about his publications, research, and contributions, please refer to the Yonsei University faculty page.
Distinguished Speaker
Prof. Yu Seok Youn
Director, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University
Editorial Board Member, Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Associate Editor, Archives of Pharmacal Research
Prof. Youn, Yu Seok is a professor at the School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University. His research interests include peptide and protein drug delivery, nanoparticulate drug delivery systems, polymer conjugation for biopharmaceuticals, and inhalation delivery systems. He has been involved in numerous academic and editorial roles, including positions with the Korean-American Pharmaceutical Scientists Association and various pharmaceutical journals. His work contributes to the development of advanced drug delivery systems, particularly for cancer and other diseases. More information can be found on Sungkyunkwan University's website.
Distinguished Speaker
Prof. Shaoyi Jiang
Shaoyi Jiang joined the Meinig School at Cornell University as the Robert Langer ’70 Family and Friends Professor in June 2020. Previously, he was the Boeing-Roundhill Professor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering and an adjunct professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, Seattle.
Jiang is a pioneer in functional zwitterionic materials, providing molecular-level understanding and developing new classes like poly(carboxybetaine) and poly(sulfobetaine). His innovations include capsule-free subcutaneous implants, hematopoietic stem cell expansion, anticoagulant-free artificial lungs, and environmentally benign marine coatings. His work established zwitterionic materials as biocompatible alternatives to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), addressing PEG immunogenicity found in COVID-19 vaccines. With over 50 patents, he co-founded ZWI Therapeutics, Taproot Medical, and Imperion Coatings.
At Cornell, his group integrates immunology with biomaterials and drug delivery research. Their focus includes (i) regenerative and precision medicine: developing materials for iPSC and cancer organoid culture, long-term implants, and blood-contacting devices; and (ii) drug delivery: creating low-immunogenic carriers for mRNAs, DNAs, proteins, and small molecules targeting cancer, neurological diseases, and diabetes. Jiang collaborates extensively across Cornell and beyond, advancing biomedical and engineering applications.
Distinguished Speaker
Jinjun Shi, Ph.D.
Dr. Jinjun Shi is an Associate Professor of Anaesthesia at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a leading researcher in nanomedicine and biomaterials. His laboratory focuses on transformative biomedical applications in nanomedicine, biomaterials, RNA therapy, immunotherapy, and antioxidative therapy. Current research areas include: RNAi delivery for gene silencing ; mRNA delivery for protein replacement ; Nanoparticle-mediated immune modulation ; Development of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials and bioinspired antioxidative polymers.
Dr. Shi has received numerous prestigious honors, including the NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), Movember-PCF Challenge Award, DoD LCRP Concept Award, and the ALA Lung Cancer Discovery Award. He was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and has been recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher from 2022 to 2024.
Distinguished Speaker
Prof. Honggang Cui
Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
Honggang Cui, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, develops supramolecular nanomaterials for treating cancer and other diseases. His research integrates materials science, oncology, and nanotechnology. Cui holds joint appointments in Materials Science and Oncology and affiliations with the Institute for NanoBioTechnology and the Center for Nanomedicine, reflecting his interdisciplinary expertise.
Cui’s lab specializes in designing and optimizing supramolecular assemblies for therapeutic and imaging applications. These assemblies are utilized to tackle major challenges in treating diseases like cancer, creating advanced diagnostic tools, and exploring polymerization mechanisms. His work not only advances therapeutic strategies but also deepens understanding of molecular self-assembly processes.
Cui is widely recognized for his contributions. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, highlighting his influence in advancing medical sciences. His achievements include the NSF CAREER Award and Johns Hopkins Catalyst and Discovery Awards. Cui earned degrees from Beijing University of Chemical Technology (1999), Tsinghua University (2002), and the University of Delaware (2007). Following postdoctoral work at Northwestern, he joined Johns Hopkins in 2010.
Distinguished Speaker
Prof. Dean HO
Provost’s Chair Professor, National University of Singapore
Head, Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore
Co-Founder, KYAN Therapeutics, Inc
Co-Founder, Biotic Laboratories, Inc
Professor Dean Ho is currently Provost’s Chair Professor, Director of The Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM) at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine; Director of The N.1 Institute for Health (N.1), and Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the National University of Singapore.
Prof. Ho and collaborators manage a portfolio of over 10 prospective, interventional human clinical trials. His team successfully developed and validated CURATE.AI, a powerful artificial intelligence platform that personalizes human treatment for a broad spectrum of indications ranging from oncology, to digital therapeutics and infectious diseases, among others.
Prof. Ho is an elected Fellow of the US National Academy of Inventors (NAI), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He was also named to the HIMSS Future50 Class of 2021 for his internationally-recognised leadership in digital health. Prof. Ho is a Co-Chair of the World Health Organization (WHO) Working Group for the regulation of AI for Health.
Distinguished Speaker
Prof. Kanyi Pu
President's Chair Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Associate Dean (Research), College of Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Executive Editor, Journal of the American Chemical Society
Dr. Kanyi Pu is a President’s Chair Professor at the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB) and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at NTU.
He serves as the executive editor for the Journal of the American Chemical Society and acts as an editorial advisory board member for over 18 renowned journals, including Chemical Society Reviews, Advanced Functional Materials, Biomaterials, Small, and Bioconjugate Chemistry.
Additionally, he holds the role of Associate Dean for Research at the College of Engineering. Recognized as one of the world's most influential researchers in Chemistry and Materials Science fields by Web of Science, he has received esteemed awards, including the Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) Investigatorship and the Biomaterials Science Lectureship Award.