Yonsei Dentistry Partners with Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Yonsei University College of Dentistry(YUCD) has signed a MOU with the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) on September 1 to strengthen collaboration in education and research. This marks HSDM’s first-ever agreement with a Korean university and only its second partnership in Asia.
Ahead of the signing, Dean Young-Soo Jung and Professor Jae-Kook Cha of Yonsei visited Harvard on August 15, where they met with HSDM Dean William V. Giannobile and Professor Sang J. Lee to explore future opportunities for cooperation.
Through this partnership, the two institutions will collaborate in areas such as faculty and researcher exchange, joint development of educational programs, and expansion of collaborative research. Plans also include the development of continuing education opportunities for dental professionals.
YUCD has been actively building strategic partnerships with leading dental schools worldwide to enhance its global presence.
2025 CAMPUS Asia Plus in Dentistry Symposium
The 2025 CAMPUS Asia Plus in Dentistry Symposium was successfully held on August 29, 2025, and was jointly hosted by Yonsei University and Seoul National University.
Faculty and students from all seven consortium partners—Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Tohoku University, Sichuan University, Peking University, Chulalongkorn University, and Universitas Indonesia—participated as speakers and presenters. The program included lectures, followed by a summit dialogue session, during which each university shared its achievements and experiences within the CAMPUS Asia initiative. The day concluded with a dinner banquet, providing participants with an opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and strengthen professional connections.
As part of the five-year CAMPUS Asia Plus initiative (2021–2026), the symposium underscored the consortium’s commitment to building a sustainable network among universities in Korea, Japan, China, and ASEAN countries, while fostering global perspectives and competencies for the next generation of dental professionals.
Prof. Sung-Hwan Choi Selected as Co-PI for RISE Program Innovation Development Project
Prof. Sung-Hwan Choi of the Department of Orthodontics, YUCD, has been appointed Co-Principal Investigator of the Regional Anchor Company–Academia Partnership Innovation Development Project. The five-year initiative has been awarded USD 2 million in funding through the Regional Innovation System & Education (RISE) Program, supported by the Gangwon RISE Center, the Ministry of Education, and Gangwon State, Republic of Korea.
The project, titled “Development of Commercialized Convergence Medical Products for the Treatment of Oral Diseases,” addresses the global burden of oral diseases, which affect over 3.5 billion people worldwide.
Through interdisciplinary collaboration across biomaterials, biotechnology, and engineering, the team will develop next-generation solutions, including injectable gingival regeneration therapeutics, advanced bone graft materials, and oral wound healing membranes. These innovations are intended to accelerate tissue regeneration, restore oral health, and establish a commercialization-ready platform, helping to reduce reliance on imported biomaterials and reinforce Korea’s leadership in the biomedical sector.
Graduate School Admissions – Spring 2026
Applications for the Yonsei University Graduate School will open soon for the 2026 Spring semester.
◆ Application Period: 10 – 15 October 2025
◆ Available Programs:
1. Department of Dentistry – Master’s, PhD, Integrated
Specializations: Oral Pathology | Oral Biology | Dental Biomaterials & Bioengineering | Preventive Dentistry & Public Oral Health | Orthodontics | Orofacial Pain & Oral Medicine | Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology | Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery | Conservative Dentistry | Prosthodontics | Pediatric Dentistry | Periodontics | Dental Education | Advanced General Dentistry
2. Department of Applied Life Science – Master’s, PhD, Integrated
Specializations: Preventive Dentistry & Public Oral Health | Tumor Biology & Pathology | Applied Biomaterials | Microbiology & Immunology | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Cell Physiology & Pharmacology | Anatomy & Developmental Biology
3. Department of Industrial Dentistry – Master’s
For detailed admissions information, including application guidelines, eligibility, and required documents, please visit: https://graduate.yonsei.ac.kr/graduate_en/index.do
1. Development of MDM2-Targeting PROTAC for advancing bone regeneration
Professor Cha's research team was the first to apply proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to the field of regenerative medicine, successfully developing MDM2-targeting PROTAC candidates. By linking the conventional inhibitor Nutlin-3 with a Cereblon ligand through various linkers, the team constructed an MDM2-PROTAC library and identified candidates that significantly enhanced the expression of osteogenesis-related genes and exhibited strong hard tissue regeneration effects. Notably, in bone graft and osteoporosis animal models, these candidates demonstrated pronounced bone regenerative efficacy and showed a synergistic effect when combined with the existing therapeutic agent alendronate. This study highlights the potential of expanding PROTAC applications from oncology to regenerative medicine, and the results were published under the title “Development of MDM2-Targeting PROTAC for Advancing Bone Regeneration” in the high-impact international journal Advanced Science (IF=14.1), where it was selected as an Editor’s Pick
Jae-Kook Cha, Associate Professor, Department of Periodontology, Yonsei University College of Dentistry
2. Real-Time Photocatalytic Measurement of Dental Materials in an Open System
When evaluating the antibiofilm effects of dental materials, laboratory results often differ from what is observed in the actural oral environment. This discrepancy arises because conventional experiments are typically conducted in a closed system without nutrient replenishment, under static conditions. In contrast, the oral cavity represents an open system characterized by continous saliva flow, constant nutrient supply, and the removal of bacteria through swalling.
To overcome these differences, Professof Jae-Sung Kwon's research team introduced a new evaluation method for assessing biofilm inhibition through photocatalytic reactions using a microfluidic chip. This device can mimic the nutrient and fluid flow conditions of the oral cavity, allowing real-time observation of biofilm formation and removal. As a result, it enables far more precise assessments compared to conventional experimental setups.
The study demonstrated that the open system provided by microfluidic chips can evaluate antibiofilm efficacy more accurately than traditional methods, highlighting its potential for assessing a wide range of dental materials. The findings were published in the 'Journal of Dental research (impact factor 5.9)' in July 2025.
Min-Yong Lee, Researcher, Department and Research Instittute of Dental Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Yonsei University College of Dentistry
Hi-Won Yoon, Resident, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Oral Science Research Center, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Dentistry
Su-Jung Shin, Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Oral Science Research Center, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Dentistry
Jae-Sung Kwon, Assistant Professor, Department and Research Instittute of Dental Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Yonsei University College of Dentistry
크레딧:
Yonsei University College of Dentistry