Yu Myeong-Hee facts for kids

Yu Myeong-Hee, born on September 5, 1954, is a famous scientist from South Korea. She is a microbiologist, which means she studies tiny living things like bacteria and viruses. Currently, she leads the Korea Federation of Women's Science & Technology Associations. She also works as a main researcher at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. From 2010 to 2013, she worked for the South Korean government, helping to plan for the future of science and technology.

Yu Myeong-Hee's Early Life and Education

Yu Myeong-Hee was born in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea. She discovered her passion for science and technology when she was in middle school. This early interest guided her future studies and career.

Her University Studies

Yu Myeong-Hee studied microbiology at Seoul National University. She earned her first degree there in 1977. Later, she traveled to the United States to continue her studies. She received her doctorate degree in microbiology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1982. After that, she worked as a special researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1985.

Yu Myeong-Hee's Career in Science

After finishing her studies, Yu Myeong-Hee returned to Korea. She began her career at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. She worked there until the year 2000.

Research on Proteins

Since 2000, Yu Myeong-Hee has been a lead research scientist at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. A big part of her work has been studying proteins. Proteins are like tiny building blocks inside our bodies. She focused on a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin. This protein helps protect our lungs.

Her team worked to understand how this protein folds into its correct shape. They also looked for ways to fix problems when proteins fold incorrectly. These folding errors can sometimes cause health issues. She even helped get a patent for a special version of the alpha-1 antitrypsin protein.

Publishing Her Discoveries

Yu Myeong-Hee's important research has been published in many well-known science journals. These include Nature, The Journal of Proteome Research, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Her work is highly respected by other scientists. It is often mentioned in studies about biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology.

Yu Myeong-Hee's Public Service

Besides her scientific research, Yu Myeong-Hee has also held important public roles. From 2002 to 2010, she was the Director of the Functional Proteomics Center. This center was part of a big research program in Korea.

Government Role

In 2010, she was given a new and important job in the South Korean government. She became a senior officer for national future planning. In this role, she helped the government talk about science and technology. She also worked to promote "green technologies." These are technologies that help protect the environment and reduce pollution.

Leading Scientific Groups

Yu Myeong-Hee has also led several important scientific organizations. She was the president of the Korean Biophysical Society from 2009 to 2010. In 2010, she also served as the president of the Korea Genome Organization. These roles show her leadership in the scientific community.

Awards and Recognition for Yu Myeong-Hee

Yu Myeong-Hee has received many awards for her amazing work in science.

• Mock-Am Award from the Korean Society of Molecular Biology (1996)
• L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science (1998)
• The Seoul City Cultural Award (2001)
• The Order of Science and Technology and the Ungbi Medal, from the Korean Government (2004)

See also

In Spanish: Myeong-Hee Yu para niños