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KIST Signs Technology Transfer Agreement with Korea Yakult (2018.04.04)
- Date : 2018-05-09
- Views : 5190
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International Cooperation Team
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KIST Signs Technology Transfer Agreement with Korea Yakult
On April 4, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Korea Yakult signed a technology licensing and research cooperation agreement for using lactobacillus as protection against particulate matter.*
* particles with a diameter of 10 μm (about 1/100 that of a human hair) or smaller
The transferred technology was first discovered by a KIST team led by Dr. Kang Kyungsu of the Systems Biotechnology Research Center. The team conducted research into the toxicity of various harmful substances by closely examining Caenorhabditis elegans. In particular, they found that the growth and reproductive capacity of C. elegans decreased when particulate matter was injected into them. But these adverse effects were significantly mitigated when the nematodes were fed with lactobacillus casei HY2782. Although lactobacillus had already been thought to be helpful in mitigating allergic responses to particulate matter, Dr. Kang’s team was the first to verify this through biological experimentation.
By enabling Korea Yakult to apply this new finding to their lactobacillus-related products, the technology transfer will contribute to Korea’s dairy industry and improve national health in areas where particulate matter is concerned.
In addition to the research cooperation involved with this transfer, KIST and Korea Yakult worked together on a national research project for increasing the immune-boosting effects of probiotics lactobacillus via improved microbiomes. The two organizations plan to continue their collaborative research in these two areas as they move forward into the future.