Yu Myeong-Hee (born 5 September 1954) is a South Korean microbiologist, currently serving as the president of Korea Federation of Women's Science & Technology Associations[2] and a principle researcher at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. In July 2010, under President Lee Myung-bak, she was appointed as an inaugural Chief Secretary to the Future Strategy Planning Office, and served until February 2013.[3][4][5][6]
After moving back to Korea, Yu worked at Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology until 2000.[7] After that, she has been working at Korea Institute of Science and Technology, holding a position of a principle research scientist.[7] Much of Yu's work has focused on unlocking the structure and folding of the proteinalpha-1 antitrypsin, which is a serpin protein.[9] Yu and her research team have worked to discover what amino acids can suppress certain types of mutations, such as the tsf mutation which is a protein folding error.[10] She has also patented the alpha-1 antritrypsin mutein with a disulfide bond and the method for preparing it along with her research group.[11]
Yu served as the Director of the Functional Proteomics Center, a part of the 21st Century Frontier R&D Program, at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology from July 2002 to July 2010.[6][7][19] In 2010, she was appointed to a new post in the South Korean government: senior officer for national future.[19] Her responsibilities included overseeing government communications regarding science and technology and to help promote low-carbon and green technologies.[20] She also served as the president of the Korean Biophysical Society from 2009 to 2010, and the president of the Korea Genome Organization in 2010.[21][22]
Awards and recognition
Mock-Am Award from the Korean Society of Molecular Biology (1996)[7][23]
The Order of Science and Technology and the Ungbi Medal, from the Korean Government (2004)[7][23]
References
^김창엽 [Gim Chang-yeop] (9 July 1998). "파워우먼: 생명공학연구소 유명희 박사" [Power woman: Dr. Yu Myeong-Hee, Research Institute of Biology and Biotechnology]. JoongAng Ilbo. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
^Lee, Kye-Woo (2006). Advancement of Women in Science and Technology: A Case Study of Korea. Seoul, South Korea: Ewha Womans University Press. p. 196. ISBN978-8973007035.
^Mitraki, Anna; Fane, Ben; Haase-Pettingell, Cameron; King, Jonathan (1991). "Mutations Affecting Protein Folding and Misfolding In Vivo". In Kelly, Jeffrey W.; Baldwin, Thomas O. (eds.). Applications of Enzyme Biotechnology – Springer. Springer Science + Business Media. p. 134. doi:10.1007/978-1-4757-9235-5. ISBN978-1-4757-9235-5. S2CID12057122.
^Yu, Myeong-Hee; Lee, Kee Nyung; Kim, Jeongho (1 May 1995). "The Z type variation of human α1-antitrypsin causes a protein folding defect". Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. 2 (5): 363–367. doi:10.1038/nsb0595-363. PMID7664092. S2CID39389671.
^Kim, Hye-Jung; Kang, Hyun Ju; Lee, Hanna; Lee, Seung-Taek; Yu, Myeong-Hee; Kim, Hoguen; Lee, Cheolju (6 March 2009). "Identification of S100A8 and S100A9 as Serological Markers for Colorectal Cancer". Journal of Proteome Research. 8 (3): 1368–1379. doi:10.1021/pr8007573. ISSN1535-3893. PMID19186948.
^Yu, Myeong-Hee; Weissman, Jonathan S.; Kim, Peter S. (1 January 1995). "Contribution of individual side-chains to the stability of BPTI examined by alanine-scanning mutagenesis". Journal of Molecular Biology. 249 (2): 388–397. doi:10.1006/jmbi.1995.0304. PMID7540212.