A research team from Hwasun Chonnam National University Hospital — led by professor Kim Hyeon-jong of the oncology department as first author and professor Bae Woo-gyun as corresponding author — is set to receive the Young Investigator Award and deliver an oral presentation at the Korean Society of Medical Oncology's international conference (KSMO 2026), to be held Sept. 2–4.
The team was selected for the award in recognition of research on the role of natural killer (NK) cells in remodeling the tumor microenvironment to enhance the efficacy of combination immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
The study found that NK cells alter the immune environment surrounding cancer cells — known as the tumor microenvironment — and induce immunological activation, amplifying the anticancer effect of the immunotherapy combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab used in hepatocellular carcinoma.
The findings show that NK cells go beyond directly attacking cancer cells to remodel the immune environment around tumors, enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy. Building on this, the research team is planning a clinical study at Chonnam National University Hospital for real-patient applications.
The Young Investigator Award is presented to promising researchers who have produced outstanding results, with recipients selected through a comprehensive evaluation of originality and academic merit.
"This research is significant in that it presents a new possibility for improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy for liver cancer," Kim said. "We will continue translational and clinical research that can lead to better treatment outcomes for patients."
sij@heraldcorp.com
