Selection as Medical Research Center: MRC) of MRC Support Project by Ministry of Science & Technology and National Research Foundation of Korea

KRW 14 billion of total budget including government expenditure and local governments’ support

A study on prevention and treatment of aging metabolic diseases including obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis based on Senotherapy

[June 24, 2022]

<Scene of YU Medical College>

YU (President CHOI Oe-chool) will lead national research project to prevent and treat aging metabolic diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis, etc.

YU was selected as MRC of MRC Support Project managed by Ministry of Science & Technology and National Research Foundation of Korea by Ministry of Science & Technology and National Research Foundation of Korea. MRC support project was started in 1990 to find out and cultivate excellent research groups having world-level creativity and excellence and to solve social issues and includes MRC, SRC, and ERC.

 As being selected as MRC, YU will conduct a research on intervention technology for next-generation metabolic diseases based on Senotherapy from this year to February 2029.KRW 14 billion will be invested: KRW 700 million by YU, KRW 2.2 billion by YU Medical Center, and KRW 350 million by participating enterprises as well as large-scale central and local governments’ support including KRW 9.5 billion of government expenditure, KRW 700 million of Daegu-si’s support, and KRW 7 million of Gyeongsangbuk-do’s support. In the research, 12 professors from basic science area and clinical medical area such as Medical College, Department of Pharmacy, and College of Natural Science of YU participate and Daegu Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Biosolyx (a start-up enterprise of YU staff), and Wizmedi (an enterprise in the building of Business Incubation Center) also participate.

 Korea is rapidly entering a super-aged society with expectation that the ratio of aged population (65 or older persons) will exceed 20% in 2025. Metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and high-cholesterolosis are continuously increased due to aging and, especially in case of 70 years or older persons, diabetes prevalence is as high as 30%. Therefore, YU’s research on prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases based on Senotherapy attracts attention.

 YU has been accepted for research capability in basic research area with selection for MRC project for 3 consecutive years. Geriatric Vascular Disease Research Center was operated in 2005 and Smart Aging Integrated Research Center was operated in 2015 as MRC support. Synergy effect of this MRC project is more expected because previous research performances and human/material infrastructure are available for prevention and treatment of geriatric diseases.

 Professor PARK So-yeong (Physiology Department) of YU Medical College manages this project and said, “The purpose of this study is to prevent or treat aging metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and osteoporosis using aged cells as the target based on Senotherapy. A new paradigm will be suggested in prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases. We will contribute in development of bio industry in Daegu/Gyeongbuk medi city through government-industry-academy researches as well as cultivation of excellent basic medical researchers of next generation.”