In multicellular organisms, including humans and bacteria, intercellular communication is an essential process. Cells release a variety of intercellular communication molecules into their surroundings that execute intracellular and intercellular communication via binding to their cognate receptors.
To communicate with each other, cells secrete not only variable kinds of soluble intercellular communication molecules, such as growth factors and cytokines, but also extracellular vesicles (EVs), composed of various kinds of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials. EVs are extracellular organelles that modulate immune response as well as promote tumor invasion. These observations suggest that EVs could be regulators of intercellular communication, playing diverse roles compared with those of soluble intercellular communication molecules. However, the biological functions of EVs are generally unclear. We discovered that EVs from tumor cells promote angiogenesis via sphingomyelin and modulate VEGF action on endothelial cells. We will demonstrate that EVs act as multifunctional intercellular communicators through systemic research on the diversity and multiple roles of EVs as well as on the mechanisms of EV biogenesis. Furthermore, our researches will help us to develop novel cancer diagnostics and to identify novel targets that are involved in pathogenesis of diseases.
Aged humans experience higher rated of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and atherosclerosis. The pathogenesis of these diseases is not known at the molecular level. Because disregulation in the biogenesis of intercellular communication molecules and/or dysfunction in the intercellular/intracellular communication networks could lead to progression of several diseases, many groups have studied this field. However, worldwide studies have only focused on soluble intercellular communication molecules and intracellular communication. Therefore, the systemic studies on EVs are critical for understanding the intercellular communication network that is essential for decoding the secrets of life and elucidating the exact causes of many diseases.

박테리아와 인간 세포를 포함한 모든 세포들이 ‘세포밖 소포체’를 분비하고 이를 이용해 ‘세포간 정보교환’을 하고 있음이 규명되고 있다.

세포간 정보교환 연구실은 세포밖 소포체 연구에 집중해 온 전문연구그룹으로,
1) 세포밖 소포체의 분리, 정제 및 특성 연구 기술 확립,
2) 프로테옴과 트랜스크립톰 분석 및 구성성분 네트워크 분석,
3) 생성기전 연구,
4) 혈관신생 및 면역반응 조절 등 다양한 기능 연구,
5) 암, 패혈증 등 다양한 질병원인 규명 및 새로운 진단/치료 방법 개발 등을 통해 ‘세포밖 소포체가 세포간 정보교환에서 중요한 기능을 수행하는 세포밖 소기관 (extracellular organelle)인 세포간 정보교환체’임을 규명하는 연구를 진행하고 있음.

학사논문 연구주제
1. 세포밖 소포체 분리 기술 개발
2. 세포밖 소포체 정량 기술 개발
3. 장내 세균유래 세포밖 소포체 기반 interkingdom communication 연구: 암, 당뇨, 면역 질환, 정신 질환
4. 세포밖 소포체를 이용한 백신 개발
5. 세포밖 소포체를 이용한 약물전달 기술 개발
6. 세포밖 소포체를 이용한 재생의학 기술 개발
7. 세포밖 소포체를 이용한 암 치료 및 진단 방법 개발

• ㆍHost-and bacteria-derived extracellular vesicles: Exosomes, microvesicles, and outer membrane vesicles
• ㆍHost-pathogen interaction
• ㆍDrug delivery system
• ㆍVaccine

• ㆍWon S, et al., (2023) Mass‐produced gram‐negative bacterial outer membrane vesicles activate cancer antigen‐specific stem‐like CD8+ T cells which enables an effective combination immunotherapy with anti‐PD‐1. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 12:e12357
• ㆍLee J, et al., (2021) Extracellular vesicles from in vivo liver tissue accelerate recovery of liver necrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 10, e12133
• ㆍDinh NTH, et al., (2020) Indoor dust extracellular vesicles promote cancer lung metastasis by inducing tumour necrosis factor-α. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 9(1):1766821
• ㆍChoi D, et al., (2020) Quantitative proteomic analysis of trypsin-treated extracellular vesicles to identify the real-vesicular proteins. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 9(1): 1757209
• ㆍGo G, et al., (2019) Extracellular Vesicle-Mimetic Ghost Nanovesicles for Delivering Anti-Inflammatory Drugs to Mitigate Gram-Negative Bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicle-Induced Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 8, e1801082

• ㆍB.S., Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea (1987)
• ㆍM.S., Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea (1989)
• ㆍPh.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA (1997)

• ㆍ1998-2000 : Visiting Fellow CDBRB, NIDCR, National Institutes of Health, USA
• ㆍ2000-2004 : Assistant Professor, Kyunghee University, Korea
• ㆍ2004-Present : Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor, Dept. of Life Sciences, POSTECH, Korea
• ㆍ2014-2016 : Executive Chair of Education, International Society for Extracellular Vesicles
• ㆍ2012-2018 : Editors-in-Chief, Journal of Extracellular Vesicles (2021 Impact factor=25.841)
• ㆍ2018-2019 : President, Korean Society for Extracellular Vesicles
• ㆍ2019-2023 : Founding President Asian Pacific Societies for Extracellular Vesicles