Pukyong National University

Professor Park Sang-hyuk’s Team at Pukyong National University, Selected for ‘Global Research Laboratory Program’

- Project to Develop Advanced Real-Time Organoid Analysis and Evaluation Platform

Pukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) announced that a research team led by Professor Park Sang-hyuk (Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Smart Healthcare) has been selected for the 2025 Global Basic Research Laboratory (BRL) Program, funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea.

Professor Park Sang-hyuk’s team, in collaboration with Professors Nam Seung-yoon (Department Biomedical Engineering), Eom Woo-ram (Department of Biotechnology), and Yoon Chang-han (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Inje University), was selected for its proposal titled “Global Research Laboratory for the Development of an AI-Integrated SWE-ERS Platform for Non-Destructive Characterization of Advanced Bio-Organoids.”

The Global Basic Research Laboratory program supports small-scale research groups focused on specific topics, with the goal of strengthening the nation’s capacity for basic science research.

With this selection, the research team will receive 1.5 billion KRW in funding over the next three years to develop a real-time evaluation platform for advanced organoids using non-destructive analysis methods.

Organoids are three-dimensional mini-organs or organ-like structures that mimic the architecture and function of real tissues and organs. They are considered next-generation bio-materials with promising applications in personalized disease modeling, drug screening, alternatives to animal testing, and regenerative medicine.

However, current evaluation methods for irregularly shaped artificial organoid tissues are limited. Because there are no customized assessment tools, researchers often rely on destructive techniques that involve breaking down the organoids for physical and chemical analysis―an approach that is time-consuming and costly. In addition, the lack of standardized criteria for evaluating organoid characteristics across different tissue types remains a significant challenge.

To address these challenges, the research team aims to develop a non-destructive evaluation technology that measures biochemical and physical property changes in organoids and predicts their differentiation levels through artificial intelligence.

Through collaborative research, the team plans to analyze RNA sequences contained within exosomes released into the culture medium during the 3D organoid growth process―a method known as Exosome RNA Sequencing (ERS)―to non-destructively assess tissue maturity. In addition, they will develop a technique using shear wave elastography (SWE) based on a 2D array system to measure and analyze changes in the mechanical properties of organoids over time and location. The project also includes the development of AI-based solutions to analyze correlations and interrelationships between these non-invasive evaluation methods.

Professor Park Sang-hyuk, the principal investigator, stated, “This research represents a multidisciplinary effort to develop core technologies essential for scaling up implantable biomaterials and engineered organs in advanced regenerative medicine. We aim to establish this laboratory as a leading center for foundational research in regenerative biomedical engineering by closely collaborating with the university’s Regional Innovation Leading Research Center and other key research institutes.” <Pukyong Today>