Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism

This laboratory specializes on nutrition and metabolism research, investigating folate nutrition in health and diseases. We achieve these through animal and clinical experiments, cohort studies and other methods of research. Main field of research: Effect of maternal and paternal folate nutrition on offspring brain metabolism and cognitive functions in early childhood and later stages in life. Dietary and nutrition data coordinating center for cohort studies in the field of maternal and child health/nutrition including Mothers and Children's Environmental Health Study (MOCEH) funded by the Ministry of Environment, Marriage Immigrant Women's Study and the International Collaboration Study for the Construction of Asian Cohort initiated by the Korea Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) in the CDC. Health benefits of Korean diet in relation to allergic diseases (Ministry of Agriculture) and Food and Nutrient Intake Assessment of Pregnant and Lactating Women (KFDA). Team leader of the 2nd Stage of the BK 21 "Custom-tailored Professionals Education for Biofood Industries" funded by the Ministry of Education and Science Technology, Korea.

Molecular nutrition lab

The prevalence of obesity has increased at an alarming rate and it is now a major worldwide health epidemic, because it is highly correlated with pathological disorders such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and some forms of cancer. Molecular nutrition laboratory have focused on the researches for functional food ingredients that have the potential to reduce lipid storage and to stimulate energy expenditure. The galas of in our laboratory are to understand the regulatory mechanisms of energy and cholesterol metabolism.

Food Culture Lab

Linking food, culture, health, and hospitality business!

In Food and Culture Laboratory, we study multidisciplinary aspects of food to build up globalization of Korean food through researches of food behaviors, dietary life style and food cluture around the world as well as Korea. In history aspect, through the old literatures, we prove and present the evidences and background of Korean food and ultimately try to establish foundation of Korean-style food culture through studies to restore and modernize Korean traditional food and culture. In cultural aspect, we also develop Korean dietary pattern score based on food culture and conduct researches to show excellence of Korean-style dietary pattern. In addition, in cross-cultural aspect, we study factors to differentiate food behavior of consumers in each country in the world and based on this, establish foundation of research for globalization of Korean food.

Bioactive Foods & Neutraceuticals Lab

The major focus of this laboratory for Bioactive Foods &Neutraceuticals (BFN) is to evaluate the efficacy and the modes of action of natural plant-based extracts (culinary, Medicinal) through in vitro, in vivo and human studies. The main functionalities that our lab is focused on are hepatic protection, antioxidant capacity, anti-diabetic effect, anti-hypertensive effect, anti-obesity, and anti-inflammatory effect.
Furthermore, based on science-based nutrition knowledge, it has been continuing to develop the methodologies for the human studies with emphasis being placed on the strategy in "Personalized Nutrition".

Foodservice management Lab

Foodservice management laboratory focuses on marketing strategies and consumer behavior in foodservice industry. Our laboratory has conducted research in several streams: food consumers' buying behavior, including dining out behavior, food safety, and sanitation training issues in food industry, and the image of Korean food and the effect of its globalization on its use as tour product for international travelers. With the support of government, including the City of Seoul,Korea Food & Drug Administration,and research foundations like the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Korea Sanhak Foundation, as well as the remarkable efforts of foodservice management laboratory members, we have published studies in high ranking journals like International Journal of Hospitality Management and Food Control. International collaborative research is also active and involves a global network of fellow researchers. In addition, our laboratory members have continuously participated in marketing strategy idea contests and were recently awarded the grand prize in a contest hosted by Korean Academic Society of Hospitality Administration.

Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomics Lab

As our society become modernizing and aging, chronic degenerative diseases, including cancer, diabetes mellitus, and stroke are the most problematic issues. The Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomics Laboratory aims to study for the prevention of various chronic diseases through incorporating the perspectives of nutritional sciences and genomics into our research.
The studies conducted in our lab focus mainly on identifying the effect of nutrients on chronic diseases and their molecular mechanisms using a wide range of research techniques from biochemical analyses to cell culture and animal experiments. Furthermore, human/clinical studies are also performed to investigate whether certain nutrients can have any alleviating and/or preventing effects on several chronic diseases.
Based on such academic and research experiences, our lab members are trained to become leading women health experts specialized in nutritional biochemistry, nutritional genomics, nutritional epidemiology, and food science research at various food industries, research centers, academic institutions, and government organizations.
 

Epigenetics Lab

  Epigenetics is an emerging frontier of science that involves the study of gene regulation without changes in DNA sequences. Epigenetic regulation is critical in many physiological and pathological conditions and is mediated by covalent modifications to DNA and Histones. The inheritance of epigenetic information by intrinsic or environmental stimuli can lead to various phenotypic changes, including differentiation, aging, or disease. Our lab focuses on understanding of the mechanisms by which environmental factors including nutrients epigenetically influence cells, tissues, or organisms and by which the epigenetic changes are transmitted to subsequent generations without any alterations of DNA sequences. In addition, we are also working on identification of biomarkers in chronic disease models by comparing epigenetic patterns.

Culinary Science Lab

The main research objectives of culinary sciencelab are to develop creative and innovative culinary basedfood products, to understand the food quality from consumers' aspects, and to disclose the drivers of liking of food products. Currently, one of the main interests is to develop successful strategies to cut down in sodium, sugars, and MSG in daily diet. Additionally, delineating the drivers of liking of ethnic foods from a cross-cultural context is another area of interest. Ultimately, our lab aims at training the students to become an insightful glocal food & consumer analyst.