The Korean Polymer Society (KPS) and John Wiley & Sons have presented two awards at the KPS fall meeting in Gwangju, Korea, on October 6–7, 2012. The awards are given annually to young scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of polymer science. The award winners each received an honorarium and book vouchers.
This year the Journal of Polymer Science Young Scientist Award was presented to Professor Won Jong Kim, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Korea, for his work on non-viral polymeric gene carriers and siRNA gene therapy.
Won Jong Kim studied at Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea, graduating in 1998. He gained his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, in 2001 and 2004, respectively. From 2004–2007, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Utah, USA, in the group of Professor Sung Wan Kim. He joined the Department of Chemistry at POSTECH in 2007 as Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor there in 2011.
The Macromolecular Rapid Communications Young Scientist Award was this year awarded to Professor Du Yeol Ryu, Yonsei University, Korea.
Du Yeol Ryu studied polymer science at the Kyungbuk National University, Korea, graduating in 1996. He moved to POSTECH for his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees, which he gained in 1999 and 2003, respectively. He spent several months as a postdoctoral researcher at POSTECH before joining the group of Professor Thomas Russell at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA, as a postdoctoral researcher from 2003–2005. He is currently Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University.
Du Yeol Ryu’s research focuses on the directed self-assembly of block copolymers into nanostructures and thin films. He also studies biomolecule adhesion to patterned substrates and uses X-ray and neutron scattering techniques to study polymers and at surfaces and interfaces.
Selected publications by Won Jong Kim:
- A Highly Entangled Polymeric Nanoconstruct Assembled by siRNA and its Reduction-Trigged siRNA Release for Gene Silencing,
Ran Namgung, Won Jong Kim,
Small 2012.
DOI: 10.1002/smll.201200496 - Artificial Cell Membrane-Mimicking Nanostructure Facilitates Efficient Gene Delivery through Fusogenic Interaction with the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells,
Sejin Son, Gahee Kim, Kaushik Singha, Samdae Park, Moonhor Ree, Won Jong Kim,
Small 2012, 7(21), 2991–2997.
DOI: 10.1002/smll.201100232 - The Effects of the 4-(4-Methylpiperazine)phenyl Group on Nucleosides and Oligonucleotides: Cellular Delivery, Detection, and Stability,
Sun Min Park, Su-Jin Nam, Hyun Seok Jeong, Won Jong Kim, Byeang Hyean Kim,
Chem. Asian J. 2011, 6(2), 487–492.
DOI: 10.1002/asia.201000574
Selected publications by Du Yeol Ryu:
- Enhanced Performance of I2-Free Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Conductive Polymer up to 6.8%,
Jeonghun Kim, Jong Kwan Koh, Byeonggwan Kim, Sung Hoon Ahn, Hyungju Ahn, Du Yeol Ryu, Jong Hak Kim, Eunkyoung Kim,
Adv. Func. Mater. 2011, 21(24), 4633–4639.
DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201101520 - Block Copolymer Nanolithography: Translation of Molecular Level Control to Nanoscale Patterns,
Joona Bang, Unyong Jeong, Du Yeol Ryu, Thomas P. Russell, Craig J. Hawker,
Adv. Mater. 2009, 21(47), 4769–4792.
DOI: 10.1002/adma.200803302 - Phase Behavior of a Weakly Interacting Polystyrene and Poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) System: Evidence for the Coexistence of UCST and LCST,
Hyungju Ahn, Sudhakar Naidu, Du Yeol Ryu, Junhan Cho,
Macromol. Rapid Commun. 2009, 30(6), 469–474.
DOI: 10.1002/marc.200800646
