The Suhyun Foundation (Chairman Suh Kyungbae) hosted the 'SUHF Symposium 2026' on the 29th at the Amorepacific headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, marking its 10th anniversary.
Founded in 2016 by Suh Kyungbae, the Chairman of Amorepacific Group, with a private donation of 300 billion KRW, the foundation has supported emerging scientists in the life sciences field for the past decade. Every year, it strives to provide an environment conducive to long-term and challenging research. Since 2020, the 'SUHF Symposium' has served as a platform for the foundation's emerging scientists to publicly share their research achievements over the past five years.
This year's symposium, themed 'Resonant Patterns of Life,' opened with a keynote speech by Professor Michael Hall from the University of Basel, who is known for his discovery of the key signaling network TOR, which connects nutrient sensing and cell growth regulation. Following this, there was a roundtable discussion with recent graduates, a special lecture by emerging scientist Professor Lee Jeong-ho (KAIST Graduate School of Medical Science, CSO of SOBAGEN), and a poster session featuring presentations of five years of research conducted by scientists supported by the foundation.
Professor Hyun Yoo-bong (Department of Life Sciences, Seoul National University) presented his findings on 'The Clever Water Utilization of Plants Hidden in the Explosive Seed Dispersal Strategy of Violet.' His research unveiled principles behind how violets disperse seeds widely without external assistance through changes in moisture in the fruit pods.
Professor Gu Tae-yun (KAIST Graduate School of Medical Science) introduced various visualization technologies used in their laboratory through his presentation titled 'A New Perspective on the Invisible Phenomena of Life.' He discussed technologies that alter sample morphology for effective dye penetration, studies that extract new information from existing medical imaging, and efforts to observe neural networks in the brain precisely with limited resources, emphasizing the importance of observation for understanding life phenomena and the technological approaches that make it possible.
Professor Yang Han-seul (KAIST Department of Life Sciences) showcased his tissue regeneration research using the African spiny mouse, focusing on the primary principles behind scar-free skin regeneration. Notably, the African spiny mouse is an animal that can recover from skin injuries without leaving scars. His team is analyzing various aspects, including skin structure and cellular stress resistance, to elucidate the principles of skin regeneration.
In a special lecture, Professor Lee Jeong-ho (KAIST Graduate School of Medical Science, CSO of SOBAGEN) introduced his research on brain somatic mosaicism, which he conducted with the support of the Suhyun Foundation as a first-generation emerging scientist over the past decade.
Chairman Suh Kyungbae stated, 'The Suhyun Foundation has endeavored to create a research environment where emerging scientists can explore and challenge limits over the past ten years. We are creating deeper research and broader connections under the belief that there is always something beyond. The foundation will continue to believe in the infinite possibilities of science and work to realize them.'
