KNU selected again for ‘Open-Lab Support Project’ by the Ministry of Science and ICT

Kyungpook National University (KNU) has once again been selected to receive funding from 2021 Open-Lab Support Project for Local Industry-Affiliated Universities by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Commercialization Promotion Agency for R&D Outcomes, for the second consecutive year.

The Open-Lab Support Project is a project that designates university laboratories as Open-Labs to establish a technology commercialization platform that customizes and supplies technology and human resources to local industries.

With the final selection this year, KNU will receive approximately KRW 1.8 billion to successfully develop this platform and support local industries with the advanced skills, techniques, and specialization of KNU Open Labs.

Through the establishment of the following 6 Open-Labs, KNU plans to contribute to the promotion of strategic industrial planning and the direction of policy-making for the development of core industries within the region.

• Production of World-Class Products through Advanced Performance of Next-Generation LAMP Molecular Diagnostics (Professor Choi-Kyu Park, College of Veterinary Medicine)
• Development of Technology for the Practical Use of Theranos based on the Removal of Reactive Oxygen Species (Professor Yongmin Chang, School of Medicine)
•  Cohort Research on Skin Microbiome for Functional Cosmetics Development (Professor Jae-Ho Shin, School of Applied Biosciences)
•  Advancement and Commercialization of IoT-based Smart Monitoring and Management Technology for Water and Sewage Facilities (Professor ChoonWook Park, Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation)
•  Development of Fiber Optic Splicing and Non-Destructive Measurement Devices for WDM Packages (Professor Mansik Jeon, School of Electronic Engineering)
•  Development of Mecanum Wheel-Type Heavy-Load Pallet Robots with Autonomous Driving based on Environmental Awareness (Professor Soon Yong Park, School of Electronic Engineering).

Jeehyun Kim, head of KNU Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation as well as of this project, states, Last year, 70% of the KRW 3 billion KNU achieved in technical service revenue was produced from biological or IT-related fields directly affiliated with regional industries. Through the project this year, KNU plans to act as the central hub for regional development, stimulating the regional economy and employment via the establishment of Open-Labs and innovative platforms.