Welcome to the website of
the Pulmonary Fibrosis Biologics Convergence Research Center (PFBCRC) at Chungbuk National University College of Pharmacy.
The PFBCRC is a multidisciplinary research hub established under the Medical Research Center (MRC) program supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). From 2025 to 2032, the Center is supported by approximately KRW 13.4 billion in governmental and local funding to advance basic and translational research in pulmonary fibrosis.
The Center focuses on the development of innovative biologics-based therapeutic strategies and advanced drug delivery technologies for pulmonary fibrosis, a severe and progressive chronic lung disease with limited treatment options.
To elucidate the complex pathophysiology of pulmonary fibrosis, the Center conducts integrated multi-omics research, including genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomic analyses, based on patient-derived clinical samples and well-established animal models. Using these datasets, the center aims to identify disease-relevant molecular mechanisms and to discover and validate next-generation biologics candidates by integrating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), gene-editing technologies, and advanced drug delivery platforms.
In close collaboration with hospitals, research institutes, and biotechnology companies within the Osong Bio Cluster, the Center investigates fibrosis-related molecular networks as well as immune and metabolic signaling pathways involved in pulmonary fibrosis. By applying AI-based analytical and predictive models, the Center seeks to establish precision medicine-oriented therapeutic strategies and optimized drug delivery systems that can be translated into clinical practice.
The PFBCRC operates under a team-based research framework composed of principal investigators, full-time researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students. The center also serves as an integrated training platform where education, research, and industry collaboration are closely connected. Through structured programs covering advanced regenerative medicine, systems medicine, and AI–biomedical research, the center aims to train pulmonary fibrosis specialists, such as Pharmacist Scientists and Pharmaceutical Scientists, who can contribute to both academia and the biopharmaceutical industry.
By effectively utilizing patient-centered clinical data and integrated multi-omics resources, the center seeks to establish a new research paradigm for chronic and intractable lung diseases and to position itself as a leading translational research center for biologics development in pulmonary fibrosis in collaboration with regional and national bio-industries.
We sincerely appreciate your continued interest and support.
Sang-Bae Han, PhD
Director of PFBCRC
