[International Recognition for Convergence Research in Biomaterials, Nanomedicine, and Photomedicine
- Expected to Elevate Korea's Standing in Bio-Pharmaceutical Research]
Professor Sei Kwang Hahn in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology at POSTECH has been named a Fellow of the Controlled Release Society (CRS) - the first researcher based in Korea to receive this distinction.
The CRS Fellowship is the highest academic honor conferred by the society, awarded to researchers who have made outstanding and sustained contributions to the advancement of drug delivery science and technology. The CRS played a leading role in the development of COVID-19 vaccines by pioneering nucleic acid (mRNA) delivery systems during the pandemic. With membership spanning multinational pharmaceutical companies and drug delivery researchers from more than 50 countries, the Fellowship remains an exceptionally selective honor: only approximately 185 individuals worldwide have ever been inducted, including Professor Robert Langer at MIT, who led the development of the Moderna vaccine. Each year, roughly 10 new Fellows are elected globally. Professor Hahn's selection was made upon the recommendation by Professor Yu-Kyoung Oh at the Seoul National University College of Pharmacy (Minister of Food and Drug Safety) and Professor Maria Alonso, the former CRS President from Spain.
Professor Hahn has built a world-class body of work through convergence research applying multifunctional biomaterials to drug delivery, nanomedicine, and photomedicine. He serves as Executive Editor of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, a leading journal in the field of drug delivery; Associate Editor of Biomaterials, a premier journal in the biomaterials field; and Editor-in-Chief of Biomaterials Research - contributing to the advancement of both academia and industry in these disciplines.
Expressing his reaction to the honor, Professor Hahn said, "I am deeply honored to have been selected as a CRS Fellow. I will continue to do my utmost to contribute to the academic advancement and translational research in the field of drug delivery, and to strengthen the global standing of Korea's bio-pharmaceutical and drug delivery research."
Professor Hahn will be officially inducted as a Fellow at the CRS Annual Meeting, to be held July 6–9. Following his induction, he will be entitled to use the designation FCRS (Fellow of the Controlled Release Society) and will take part in key academic activities within the society.