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국립 부경대학교의 다양한 모습과 소식을 접하시면 부경대학교가 한번 더 가까워집니다.

작성자,작성일,첨부파일,조회수로 작성된 표
노벨상 수상자 “끊임없이 호기심 깨워라” (Nobel Laureate Urges, “Never Stop Being Curious”)
작성자	대외홍보센터	작성일	2026-09-18
조회수	1040

작성자,작성일,첨부파일,조회수로 작성된 표
노벨상 수상자 “끊임없이 호기심 깨워라” (Nobel Laureate Urges, “Never Stop Being Curious”)
	대외홍보센터		2026-09-18		1040

국립부경대, 크레이그 멜로 노벨 생리의학상 수상자 초청 강연 개최
- RNA 간섭 연구로 유전자 기능 연구 혁신 이끈 세계적 석학
- 18일 대학극장 … 구성원·지역 대학생·고등학생 700여 명 참가
 
△ 강연하는 크레이그 멜로 교수. ⓒ사진 서형석(대외홍보센터)
 
국립부경대학교(총장 배상훈)가 개교 80주년을 맞아 2006년 노벨 생리의학상 수상자인 크레이그 멜로(Craig C. Mello) 교수 초청 강연을 9월 18일 개최했다.

이번 강연은 한국과학기술한림원과 스웨덴 노벨재단 산하 ‘노벨 프라이즈 아웃리치’ 공동 주관으로 9월 20일 서울에서 열리는 ‘노벨 프라이즈 다이얼로그 서울 2026’과 연계한 행사다. 

크레이그 멜로 교수는 이날 오후 국립부경대 대학극장에서 학내 구성원과 인근 대학생, 고등학생 등 700여 명을 대상으로 강연에 나섰다.

크레이그 멜로 교수는 1982년 미국 브라운대학교에서 생화학 학사학위를, 1990년 하버드대학교에서 박사학위를 받았다. 이후 1990년부터 1994년까지 프레드 허친슨 암 연구센터에서 박사후연구원으로 연구를 수행했으며, 1995년부터 매사추세츠대학교 챈 의과대학 교수로 재직 중이다. 또한 2000년부터 2024년까지는 하워드 휴스 의학연구소 연구원으로 활동했다. 

그는 앤드루 파이어 박사와 공동으로 RNA 간섭(RNAi) 현상을 규명한 공로로 2006년 노벨 생리의학상을 수상했으며, 이 연구는 유전자 발현 조절 메커니즘을 밝힌 중요한 성과로 평가받고 있다.

이날 크레이그 멜로 교수는 ‘RNAi: A Molecular Spark in an Information Inferno(RNAi: 정보의 홍수 속 생명조절의 분자적 불꽃)’ 특강을 통해 RNAi 발견에 이은 연구의 여정을 자세히 설명했다.

그는 앤드루 파이어 박사와 예쁜꼬마선충을 연구하던 중 이중가닥 RNA(dsRNA)가 특정 메신저 RNA의 작용을 차단하는 현상을 발견했다. 이 과정에서 특정 유전정보가 단백질 생성으로 이어지지 못하게 되고, 해당 유전자는 이른바 ‘침묵(silencing)’, 즉 비활성화되는데, 이러한 RNA 간섭 현상은 유전체(genome) 내에서 중요한 유전자 조절 기능을 수행한다는 것을 밝힌 것이다.

특히 크레이그 멜로 교수는 과학자가 견지해야 할 자세로 지적 호기심을 강조했다. 그는 “과학자는 끊임없이 호기심을 깨워야 한다. 자기 자신에 대한 믿음을 바탕으로 호기심을 추구해야 한다. 끊임없이 실패할 수 있지만, 계속 도전한다면 정답을 찾을 수 있고, 해결할 수 있다는 믿음을 가지는 것이 중요하다”고 말했다.

또한 그는 인공지능(AI) 활용과 관련해 “AI가 답을 알려준다고 해서 그것이 정답이라는 뜻은 아니다. 그것은 다음 질문을 위한 출발점일 뿐”이라며, “AI는 과학자들이 방대한 데이터를 빠르게 분석하고 인간이 놓칠 수 있는 세부 사항을 발견해 더 나은 질문을 던지도록 돕는 매우 강력한 도구로, 적절하게 활용한다면 과학의 발전을 가속화할 것”이라고 밝혔다.

이어 “의구심을 품는 것이 과학이다. 당연히 틀릴 수 있고, 과도기가 오기도 한다. 돌파구를 찾을 때까지 얼마나 걸릴지 모를 수도 있다. 그럼에도 실패에서 교훈을 얻기도 하며, 작은 성공을 맛보고 다시 도전하는 과정을 끊임없이 반복해야 한다”고 조언했다.

한편, 해양수산 특성화 종합 국립대학인 국립부경대는 개교 80주년을 맞은 올해, QS 세계대학 학문 분야별 평가에서 화학공학, 화학 등 5개 분야에서 순위권에 오르며 연구 역량을 인정받고 있다. 이번 노벨 수상자 강연은 이러한 학문적 기반 위에서 세계적 석학과 만나는 열린 학술 교류의 장을 대내외에 제공하기 위해 마련됐다. <부경투데이>
 
△ 축사하는 배상훈 총장.

△ 크레이그 멜로 교수 강연 모습과 참석자 단체 사진.

△ 특강에 앞서 동원장보고관에서 인터뷰를 하고 있는 크레이그 멜로 교수.

△ 특강에 앞서 부경컨벤션홀에서 열린 리셉션 행사.
 
Pukyong National University Hosts Special Lecture by Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Laureate Craig Mello
- World-renowned scientist who revolutionized gene function research through groundbreaking discoveries in RNA interference
- Lecture held at the University Theater on September 18 … Attended by approximately 700 university members, local university students, and high school students
 
Pukyong National University (President Sang-Hoon Bae) hosted a special lecture by Professor Craig C. Mello, the 2006 Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine, on September 18 to commemorate the university’s 80th anniversary.
 
The lecture was held in conjunction with Nobel Prize Dialogue Seoul 2026, scheduled to take place in Seoul on September 20 and jointly organized by the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) and Nobel Prize Outreach, an organization affiliated with the Nobel Foundation in Sweden.
 
Professor Craig C. Mello delivered the lecture that afternoon at Pukyong National University’s University Theater to an audience of approximately 700 participants, including university faculty, staff, and students, as well as students from nearby universities and high schools.
 
Professor Craig C. Mello earned his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Brown University in the United States in 1982 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1990. He subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center from 1990 to 1994 and has served as a professor at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School since 1995. He was also an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute from 2000 to 2024.
 
He was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, jointly with Dr. Andrew Fire, for their discovery of RNA interference (RNAi), a groundbreaking achievement that revealed a key mechanism regulating gene expression.
 
During his special lecture titled “RNAi: A Molecular Spark in an Information Inferno,” Professor Mello provided a detailed account of his research journey following the discovery of RNAi.
 
While studying the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans with Dr. Andrew Fire, Professor Mello discovered that double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) could block the activity of specific messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules. This process prevents certain genetic information from being translated into proteins, effectively “silencing” or inactivating the corresponding genes. Their research demonstrated that RNA interference plays a crucial role in regulating gene activity within the genome.
 
Professor Mello particularly emphasized intellectual curiosity as an essential quality for scientists. He said, “Scientists must constantly nurture their curiosity. They should pursue their curiosity with confidence in themselves. Although failure may occur repeatedly, it is important to believe that by continuing to take on challenges, they can eventually find answers and solve problems.”
 
Regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI), Professor Mello said, “Just because AI provides an answer does not necessarily mean it is the correct one. It is merely a starting point for the next question.” He added, “AI is an extremely powerful tool that enables scientists to rapidly analyze vast amounts of data, identify details that humans might overlook, and ask better questions. When used appropriately, it will accelerate scientific progress.”
 
He further advised, “Science is about questioning. It is natural to be wrong, and there may be periods of uncertainty. We may not know how long it will take to achieve a breakthrough. Nevertheless, we must continually repeat the process of learning from failures, experiencing small successes, and taking on new challenges.”
 
Meanwhile, Pukyong National University, a comprehensive national university specializing in marine and fisheries sciences, has gained recognition for its research capabilities in the year of its 80th anniversary, ranking in five subject areas, including Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, in the QS World University Rankings by Subject. Building on this academic foundation, the university organized the Nobel laureate’s lecture to provide an open platform for academic exchange, bringing together members of the university and the wider community with a world-renowned scholar. <Pukyong Today>