Professors Seopil Jun from the Department of Chemistry at Seoul National University and Han Ho-jae from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Seoul National University were selected as the recipients of the 9th Cargill-Hanrim Life Science Award.
The Cargill-Hanrim Life Science Award is sponsored by Cargill AgriPurina, a global animal nutrition company. Established in 2015, the award aims to discover and honor outstanding scientists who have made significant contributions to the fields of agriculture, fisheries, and livestock through excellent research achievements. Each year, it selects two recipients based on an emphasis on research outcomes from the past five years, awarding them a plaque and a prize of 20 million won each.
Professor Seopil Jun was recognized as a pioneer in basic research on plant cell totipotency for his contribution to improving the efficiency of plant tissue culture. He has systematically defined the biological processes of plant tissue culture in five stages, discovering genetic barriers at each stage and presenting technical solutions to overcome them.
Professor Han Ho-jae is an expert in identifying and preventing zoonotic diseases using disease animal models. He was recognized as a recipient for elucidating the mechanisms of occurrence and prevention of metabolic diseases in both animals and humans, as well as contributing to the establishment of a scientific basis for overcoming intractable zoonotic diseases.
In particular, he identified that glucocorticoids, which are secreted during stress, inhibit the expression of proteins that restore cognitive function, leading to Alzheimer's disease. He also confirmed that butyric acid, a gut microbial metabolite, inhibits neurocyte death and alleviates cognitive impairment through experiments on diabetic animal models.
Hong Soon-hyung, chairman of the Hanrim Academy of Science and Technology Awards Committee, noted that "the research achievements of both recipients are significant in contributing to the development of fundamental technologies for agriculture and livestock through the improvement of plant tissue culture efficiency and research on treatments for zoonotic metabolic diseases," adding that they have been evaluated as excellent achievements that suggest both academic contributions and the potential for industrial development.
The award ceremony will be held on the 5th at 4 p.m. at the Hanrim Academy of Science and Technology Hall in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.