The Suh Kyungbae Foundation, led by Chairman Suh Kyung-Bae, has selected two promising young scientists to receive five years of research support starting in 2024.

Established in 2016 by Suh Kyung-bae, Chairman of Amorepacific Group, the Suh Kyungbae Foundation is a non-profit organization founded with a personal donation of 300 billion KRW. Guided by the philosophy that "there is an infinite sky beyond the visible one," the foundation annually supports emerging scientists in the field of life sciences.

This year, the foundation has selected two researchers as its 2024 Young Scientists: Professor Park Seung-yul, from the Department of Life Sciences at Pohang University of Science and Technology, for his proposal titled ▲"Unraveling a new layer of organelle dynamics: Golgi stress and networks in aging," and Professor Lee Joon-yong, from the Department of Microbiology at Yonsei University College of Medicine, for his research on ▲"Immune memory of sperm: Unraveling the Epigenetic Impact of Paternal Chronic Inflammation on Offspring Immunity and Health."

Professor Park Seung-yul's research focuses on understanding how the Golgi apparatus, a cellular organelle responsible for protein transport, regulates aging-induced stress. As aging cells secrete substances that can propagate aging to surrounding cells, contributing to the overall aging of the body, his research aims to explore the unique structures and functions of the Golgi apparatus in aged cells. This study seeks to provide a new perspective on aging and, ultimately, to identify methods to mitigate or reverse the aging process.

Professor Lee Joon-yong's research investigates the effects of paternal chronic inflammation on offspring immunity. Immune stress, such as infections or inflammatory diseases, can cause epigenetic modifications in sperm, potentially influencing the susceptibility of offspring to immune-related conditions like allergies throughout their lives. His research aims to elucidate the mechanisms of intergenerational immune memory transmitted through the paternal line.

To date, the Suh Kyungbae Foundation has selected 28 young scientists, providing each with up to 500 million KRW annually over five years to conduct groundbreaking research in life sciences. Since its inception, the foundation has dedicated 77.5 billion KRW to support the research of young scientists.

At the certificate presentation ceremony held on Friday, the 30th, Chairman Suh Kyung-bae remarked, "I believe this world is a gift from scientists who believed they could change the future. I welcome the newly selected young scientists and urge all foundation scientists to remember their initial inspiration and contribute to advancing a better future."

Meanwhile, on Saturday the 31st, the "SUHF Symposium 2024" was held at Amorepacific's headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul. Organized by the Suh Kyungbae Foundation and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT, this year's symposium featured a keynote speech by Elaine Fuchs, a distinguished professor from Rockefeller University and a leading authority on skin stem cell research. The event also included graduation talks, research presentations by researchers selected by the foundation in 2019, and various other activities.