October 5 (Mon) - 7 (Wed), 2020

Prof. Yong Tae Kwon has been working on degradation biology for the past 30 years, focusing on the ubiquitin-proteasome system and the autophagy-lysosome system. His research topics include the N-degron system, where single N-terminal amino acids function as ligands that modulate degradation of short-lived regulators and their misfolded aggregates. His research was also extended to autophagic degradation of subcellular structures such as the endoplasmic reticulum, peroxisome, lipid droplet, and nucleus as well as invading viruses and bacteria. Through a spearhead research on a single subject, Prof. Kwon is considered a pioneer at the crossroad of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy, responsible for a significant portion of understanding on the functions and mechanisms of the mammalian N-degron pathway. By employing the findings with selective autophagy, his team developed AUTOTAC (autophagy-targeting chimera), a platform that enables targeting and lysosomal degradation of proteins of interest via autophagy. He is leading “Convergence Degradation Medicine Center” through SNU 10-10 project and “Cellular Degradation Biology Center” through SRC Project. In this lecture, Prof. Kwon will talk about recent advances in basic research on degradation biology and therapeutic applications on an autophagy-based degrader platform to develop drugs for neurodegeneration, cancer and other rare incurable diseases with urgent unmet medical needs.