"One of the key features of aging is that cells lose the ability to properly produce the proteins needed for normal function. Research on the cytoskeleton shows that cells do not simply produce proteins but possess a system that organizes and positions them precisely. If we can uncover this principle, we expect to obtain important clues for understanding the progression of aging and the recovery of damaged tissue's regenerative capacity."
Noh Sung-hoon, a professor at Seoul National University's School of Biological Sciences who was selected as the July winner of the Korea Science and Technology Award, described the significance of his research on cytoskeleton regeneration this way Monday. The award is hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and co-organized by the National Research Foundation of Korea and Seoul Economic Daily.
Noh is regarded as a world-leading researcher in protein homeostasis and cell regeneration. He began his research career at LG Life Sciences in 2004 and, through his time at Stanford University in the United States, has steadily accumulated achievements in protein homeostasis and structural biology. In particular, he is recognized for the qualitative excellence of his research, with 25% of his papers published in journals. Since 2018, at Seoul National University, he has independently built a cryo-electron microscopy research platform with support from MSIT's basic research programs for outstanding early-career researchers and its bio and medical technology development programs. In 2022, he published research uncovering the dynamic process of protein folding in the international journal Cell, leading the field of structural biology.
The keyword that runs through Noh's research is "how does life create and maintain functional molecules." Many proteins exist within a cell, but a protein does not function immediately upon being made. It must be folded into the correct shape, positioned where needed, and, if damaged, repaired or replaced before life activities become possible. "I wanted to understand at the molecular level the process by which proteins acquire their function," Noh said. "Protein folding, cytoskeleton formation, the operation of molecular regulatory factors, and the onset of aging and disease are all deeply connected to a cell's ability to create and maintain functional molecules."
Noh was recognized for uncovering the formation and regeneration processes of the cytoskeleton, which had long remained an unsolved problem in the life sciences. The cytoskeleton is a structure essential for maintaining cell shape, transporting materials, and cell division. But as aging and disease progress, the cytoskeleton becomes damaged and unstable, and its regenerative capacity declines. Cytoskeletal abnormalities are closely related to neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and muscle disorders, yet how the cytoskeleton forms and regenerates at the molecular level had not been specifically clarified.
Noh went beyond the limits of previous research, which had focused on the "cellular skeleton" itself, and turned his attention to chaperone proteins that manage tubulin, a core protein of the cytoskeleton. Tubulin is the key protein that makes up microtubules, a type of cytoskeleton, and is essential for transporting materials within the cell and for cell division. Chaperones are intracellular regulatory factors that help proteins fold into their normal structure and function. Using cryo-electron microscopy, the research team analyzed the process by which tubulin and chaperones bind at the atomic level, and, for the first time in the world, uncovered the entire process by which tubulin is produced and recycled.
The research found that multiple chaperone proteins do not operate separately but form a single super-large complex to manage tubulin. This complex selects only normal tubulin to help it be used in cytoskeleton assembly, while breaking down and recycling damaged or improperly assembled tubulin. It revealed that the cytoskeleton is not a structure that remains as-is once made, but is maintained by a "two-way quality control system" that continuously inspects, repairs, and recycles.
This achievement is significant in that it expanded the perspective of cytoskeleton research from structure formation to regeneration and repair mechanisms. In particular, the process of making, folding, repairing, and breaking down proteins within cells is emerging as an important topic in research on aging and degenerative brain diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's are related to the accumulation of misfolded or damaged proteins within cells. Understanding the quality control principle of cytoskeletal proteins can help explain the decline in neuronal function and the onset of disease.
His work in building and developing cryo-electron microscopy research infrastructure in Korea is also highly regarded. Seoul National University's Center for Macromolecular and Cell Imaging (CMCI) has provided an open research platform to domestic and international researchers based on advanced imaging equipment and analytical technology. "Cryo-electron microscopy research infrastructure can be used in a wide range of bio-health research, including infectious diseases, cancer, aging, and neurological diseases, so it is expected to become a foundation for the future development of precision medicine and the bio industry," Noh said. "Understanding the principle of stably producing and maintaining functional proteins can serve as the foundation for next-generation bio technologies such as cell therapeutics, tissue regeneration technology, and aging control technology."
The Korea Science and Technology Award selects one researcher each month who has contributed to the advancement of science and technology through original research achievements over the past three years, awarding the MSIT deputy prime minister's prize and 10 million won in prize money. Since 2026, MSIT has elevated the previous name "Scientist of the Month Award" to "Korea Science and Technology Award."
