The Pulmonary Fibrosis Biologics Convergence Research Center is a Global Leading Research Center (Medical Research Center, MRC) supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea. The Center was established with the goal of developing fundamental and transformative therapeutic strategies for pulmonary fibrosis, an intractable fibrotic disease with an extremely poor prognosis.

Our Center focuses on precisely elucidating the complex pathophysiological mechanisms underlying pulmonary fibrosis and, based on these insights, developing next-generation biopharmaceuticals utilizing genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs). Through this integrative and multidisciplinary approach, we aim to overcome the limitations of existing treatments and pave the way for innovative and disease-modifying therapies for pulmonary fibrosis.

The research conducted at this Center is carried out through an integrated and collaborative framework of three research groups, encompassing biomarker discovery, therapeutic development, and lung-targeted delivery.

• Group 1 focuses on the discovery of biomarkers and therapeutic targets by analyzing human- and animal-derived big data and multi-omics datasets. Through these approaches, the group aims to predict disease progression and prognosis of pulmonary fibrosis, thereby providing a mechanistic foundation for the development of rational therapeutic strategies.
• Group 2 develops genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells (ge-MSCs) and extracellular vesicles (ge-EVs) with enhanced therapeutic efficacy using CRISPR-based gene editing platforms. Both established and newly identified targets are simultaneously modulated, followed by preclinical validation and assessment of translational and commercialization potential.
• Group 3 aims to improve lung-specific delivery of ge-MSC- and ge-EV–based therapeutics by developing lung-targeting platforms and inhalation-based delivery devices. In addition, microphysiological systems (MPS) are utilized to establish lung–liver–neural fibrosis models, enabling the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and expansion of disease indications.

Through this coordinated research structure, the Center seeks to establish a comprehensive biopharmaceutical research framework that spans from mechanistic understanding of pulmonary fibrosis to therapeutic development, targeted delivery, and expansion of clinical indications.