The paper or patent is just an intermediate stage. The core of the research is to realize the technology and commercialize it.
Yeseong Jun, a professor at Seoul National University and representative of T-ROH, has been conducting research for a long time. To realize technologies that had remained as papers and patents, he founded T-ROH in January of last year. T-ROH is developing a next-generation skin protectant that can prevent and treat skin cancer that may occur during outdoor sports activities.
Athletes have more than twice the skin cancer incidence rate compared to the general population due to frequent outdoor activities exposing them to ultraviolet rays. However, current sunscreens lose effectiveness due to sweat during outdoor activities, necessitating frequent reapplication, which is not beneficial for the skin. The skin protectant we developed uses nano and micro-particles to embed into the stratum corneum (within 1mm of the skin) and can be easily removed after a day of sports activities with a shower.
In addition to the skin protectant, research is also underway to overcome the limitations of existing treatments for cancer and other difficult-to-treat diseases, focusing on reducing the duration of radiation treatment and the patient’s suffering.
Currently, high-energy radiation generated by large equipment called linear accelerators is used to treat cancer from outside the patient. During this process, exposure to radiation occurs in the skin and normal tissues, and due to the partitioning of treatments, patients must visit hospitals daily for weeks to months.
To address this issue, we devised a radioactive nanocomposite and an anticancer treatment system based on it. The radioactive nanocomposite is a technology that directly delivers a tiny drug (particle) emitting radiation to cancer cells. Furthermore, by injecting drugs directly into the tumor area using a micro needle composed of fine needles, treatment can be conducted with a smaller dose of radiation. This method reduces side effects like exposure and protects normal tissues, offering a total solution for drug delivery, absorption, distribution, and stability.
When the technology is completed, the first goal is keloid disease. Keloid disease is a condition where excessive tissue growth occurs after a wound has healed, resulting in larger or raised scars. While the recurrence rate drops below 15% with postoperative radiation treatment, only 7% of patients receive radiation therapy. This is because they have to go to university hospitals, which takes time. By injecting the radioactive nanocomposite using our developed "flat micro needle" during surgery, it can be completed in one go.
To achieve results in the treatment fields of skin cancer and breast cancer, which have a high incidence rate in the West, we are collaborating with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University to develop a "balloon-type micro needle." This method sprays the radioactive nanocomposite from micro needles like a balloon that bursts when air expands. Yeseong Jun believes it can be applied to difficult-to-treat cancers, such as triple-negative breast cancer.
If successful, we can alleviate the daily suffering of breast cancer patients undergoing external radiation treatment, and the side effects will be significantly reduced. Simply put, we are using micro needles to inject existing treatment drugs, so the effectiveness will improve and it can be applied to difficult-to-treat cancers. Research has true value when the technology is realized and returned to society. We will strive to create technology that gives hope to patients.