Events
Bioengineering Research Seminar: Advancing cell and gene therapy via microfluidics - Prof Aram Chung, Korea University
| Date: | Wednesday 23 July 2025 15:00 - 16:00  |
| Location: | SEMS Seminar Room |
Engineering and reprogramming innate cell functions require the efficient delivery of biomolecules—such as DNA, RNA, plasmids, proteins, and nanomaterials—into the cytosol or nucleus. Conventional methods, including viral vectors, cationic lipids, and electroporation, are widely used but often fall short in achieving both high delivery efficiency and robust cell viability, while preserving cellular phenotype and function. To address these challenges, our research focuses on developing next-generation microfluidic platforms for intracellular delivery. By leveraging fluid-cell interactions within confined microchannels, we induce transient membrane permeabilization, enabling convective transport of biomolecules directly into cells. This approach has demonstrated efficient delivery of functional macromolecules into diverse cell types—including hard-to-transfect human primary stem and immune cells—while maintaining high viability and stability.
In this talk, I will present our recent advances in microfluidic intracellular gene delivery and highlight their transformative potential in cell and gene therapy. I will also briefly discuss our efforts to translate these innovations into commercial applications, bridging the gap between laboratory research and real-world impact.
Aram Chung received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University (SNU) in 2006 and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2011. He then pursued postdoctoral research in Bioengineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 2011 to 2013. He began his academic career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY, USA, before joining the School of Biomedical Engineering at Korea University in 2017, where he currently serves as Professor and Department Chair. His research has been instrumental in advancing microfluidic platforms for immunotherapy, genome editing, and cell engineering. In addition to his academic contributions, he is actively engaged in technology entrepreneurship as the founder of MxT Biotech, a company dedicated to commercializing innovations developed in his lab.
