From left: Lee Jong-ha, professor of biomedical engineering; Jeong Yi-hun, professor of industrial engineering; and Kim Mu-seop, professor of statistics, at Keimyung University. [Keimyung University]
From left: Lee Jong-ha, professor of biomedical engineering; Jeong Yi-hun, professor of industrial engineering; and Kim Mu-seop, professor of statistics, at Keimyung University. [Keimyung University]

Research teams led by Lee Jong-ha, a professor of biomedical engineering at Keimyung University, and Jeong Yi-hun, a professor of industrial engineering, along with statistics Professor Kim Mu-seop, have won the 2026 Science and Technology Excellence Paper Award at its 36th edition.

The award, organized by the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, recognizes outstanding research papers in science and technology fields in South Korea, the university said Saturday.

Lee's team was recognized for research identifying the potential of optogenetics-based approaches to improve cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease.

The team applied precise photostimulation to specific neural circuits in animal models and conducted quantitative analysis of neurobiological and behavioral changes, proposing the possibility of non-pharmacological treatment.

The team included Jeong Tae-mi, a researcher at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS); Park Hye-ryeong, a master's student; and Tahsin Nairuz, a doctoral student from Bangladesh.

Lee served as corresponding author overseeing the research. Building on those findings, the team is expanding its work toward closed-loop precision treatment technology that uses AI to analyze biosignals and behavioral data to optimize stimulation conditions.

Jeong's team won for a paper titled "Analyzing the Effects of Age and Modality on the Usability of Mobile Application Services."

The team included undergraduate students Shin Ho-seong, Lee Min-uk, Kim Min-seo and Hwang Na-hyeon, with Jeong serving as corresponding author. The research compared mobile service usability between older and younger users and empirically verified the effectiveness of a multimodal interface combining voice guidance and help functions.

Kim Mu-seop won for a paper titled "Comparison Study of Robust Estimation Methods of Multivariate Regression Model."

The research compared robust estimation methods for improving estimation accuracy in data environments containing outliers, confirming the superiority of a technique based on density power divergence.

Shin Chae-gi, Keimyung University's director of research affairs, said the awards demonstrated how accumulated research capabilities across diverse fields — including biotech, engineering and statistics — can translate into academic achievement. "The university continues to expand its financial and administrative support so that researchers can focus on their work with stability," Shin said.


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