Sungmun Lee, Ph.D.

Biomedical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
315 Ferst Dr.
Atlanta, GA 30332
Phone: (404) 385-1329
e-mail: slee60@mail.gatech.edu

1. Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) - Ph. D. Chemical Engineering (2005)
2. Seoul National University (Seoul, Korea) - M.S. Chemical Engineering (1999)
3. Korea University (Seoul, Korea) - B.S. Chemical Engineering (1996)

1. Georgia Institute of Technology - Research Scientist.  Biomedical Engineering Department (Jan. 2006 - Present) 
2. University of Maryland, Baltimore County - Research Associate. Chemical & Biochemical Engineering Department (May. 2005 - December, 2005) 
3. Texas A&M University - Research Assistant. Chemical Engineering Department (Jul. 2001 - May 2003)
4. Eugene Science Inc. - Research Scientist. Industry (Jan. 1999 - Jul. 2000) 
5. Samsung Petrochemical Company - Internship. Industry (Jul. 1996 - Aug. 1996)
6. Korean Army - Medic. Mandatory Service (Apr. 1992 - Jul. 1994)

In Vivo Animal Experiments 

·    Excellence in conducting pre-clinical in vivo research projects and familiar with in vivo imaging using dyes/agents

Design of drug delivery vehicles and imaging compounds

·    Excellent skills in synthesis of polymers and formulation of drug delivery vehicles and good at the construction of chemical compounds for imaging

In Vitro Cell Culture

·    Experiences in cell culture of a wide range of mammalian cells (neuron type of cells, immune cells etc.) for in vitro toxicity and biological activity assay and 1L scale culture of E.coli. for the production of recombinant proteins

Protein Modification and Purification

·    Good at protein purification of His-tagged protein expressed in recombinant E.coli. as well as affinity column fabrication for the purification, and protein labeling for drug delivery and quantitative analysis

Analysis Instruments and Equipments

·    Excellent skills in separation using dialysis and columns such as silica column and RPC (Reverse Phase Column) attached to HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) and FPLC (Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography) system, in structure studies using spectrometers such as UV/Vis. Spectrometer, Raman Spectroscopy, Fluorescence and CD (Circular Dichroism), in size analysis using SEC (Size Exclusion Chromatography), MS (Mass spectrometer), and Gel electrophoresis, in size and morphology studies using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), DLS (dynamic light scattering), fluorescence microscope, confocal microscope and  AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy)

Computer Software

·    Proficient in programming FORTRAN, HTML, C and BASIC languages, in using a number of numeric calculation and statistics packages including Matlab, Mathmatica, Polymath and SPSS, in fitting non-linear experimental data using software such as LabFit and AutoFit as well as variety of word processing and graphics software such as Sigmaplot, Photoshop and Microsoft Office

Molecular Modeling 

·    Good at modeling biological macromolecules using software QUANTA/ CHARMM in protein structure, and one of protein docking program HEX in protein-protein interaction.

Polymer Analysis 

·    Good at analysis of polymers using DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) and TGA (ThermoGravimetric Analysis) in thermal characteristics and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) in polymer structure study.

Other Analytical Tools 

·    Excellent skills in various analytical toos such as Stop flow meter for enzyme kinetic studies, Scintillation counter for radio active material detection, FACS Array, Microplate reader for cell viability, Instron for mechanical property and displaying software.

1. Graduate Student Scholarship (Aug. 2003 - May 2005)
- Chemical Engineering Department of Texas A&M University

2. Academic Scholarship (Mar. 1997)
- Chemical Engineering Department of Korea University

3. Korea University Alumni Scholarship (Mar. 1991 - Sep. 1996)
- Association of Korea University Alumni

1. Published

- Kousik Kundu, Sarah J. Knight, Sungmun Lee, W. Robert Taylor, Niren Murthy, "Hydrocyanines: A new class of fluorescent sensors that can image reactive oxygen species in cell culutre, tissue, and in vivo", Angewandte Chemie, 48(2), 299-303 (2009) [Link]

- Wei Qi, Aming Zhang, Dhara Patel, Sungmun Lee , Jamie Harrington, Liming Zhao, David Schaefer, Theresa A. Good, and Erik J. Fernandez, "Simultaneous monitoring of peptide aggregate distributions, structure, and kinetics using amide hydrogen exchange", Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 100(6), 1214-1227 (2008) [Link]

- Sungmun Lee , and Niren Murthy, "Targeted delivery of catalase and superoxide dismutase to macrophages using folate", Biophysical and Biochemical Research Communications , 360(1), 275-279 (2007) [Link]

- Sirajud D. Khaja, Sungmun Lee , and Niren Murthy, "Acid degradable protein delivery vehicles based on metathesis chemistry", Biomacromolecules 8(5), 1391-1395 (2007) [Link]

- Sungmun Lee , Erik Fernandez and Theresa Good, "Role of aggregation conditions in structure, stability and toxicity of intermediates in the Ab fibril formation pathway, Protein Science, 16(4), 723-732 (2007) [Link]

- Sungmun Lee , Stephen C. Yang, Michael J. Heffernan and Niren Murthy, "PCADK: a new acid degradable polymer that enhances the delivery of SOD to macrophages", Bioconjugate Chemistry, 18(1), 4-7 (2007) [Link]

- Sungmun Lee , Kenneth Carson, Allison Rice-Ficht, and Theresa Good, "Small heat shock proteins differentially affect Ab aggregation and toxicity", Biophysical and Biochemical Research Communications , 347(2), 527-533 (2006) [Link]

- Sungmun Lee , Kenneth Carson, Allison Rice-Ficht, and Theresa Good, "Hsp20, a novel a-crystallin, prevents Ab  fibril formation and toxicity", Protein Science , 14(3), 593-601 (2005) [Link]

- Sungmun Lee , Joo Sang Yeo, Kyungmoon Park, and Young Je Yoo, "Synthesis of Lignin-phenol Copolymers Using Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP)", Korean Journal of Biotechnology and Bioengineering , 15 (1), 22 - 26 (2000)

2. Submitted or Under Preparation

- Sungmun Lee , and Niren Murthy, "Enhanced delivery of NF-k B decoy to macrophase using chloroquine"

- Sungmun Lee , and Niren Murthy, "Drug delivery of TNF-a siRNA reduces the inflammation"

- Allison Rice-Ficht, Theresa Good, Kenneth Carson, and Sungmun Lee, Title: "Hsp20 inhibits amyloidogenesis and neurotoxicity" Applicatio Number: 20060147463 ( United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO))

- Sungmun Lee, Stephen C. Yang, Chen-Yu Kao, and Niren Murthy, Title: "Solid polymeric nanoparticles enhance the delivery of siRNA in vivo" Invention disclosure (USPTO)

- Kousik Kundu, Sarah J. Knight, Sungmun Lee, W. Robert Taylor, Niren Murthy, Title: "Reduced Dye Probes for the detection of radical oxygen species" Invention disclosure (PCT)

1. Role of aggregation conditions in structure and toxicity of intermediates in the Ab fibril formation
- Look Ahead VIII at University of Maryland ( Baltimore County ) - Poster Presentation, (Nov. 17, 2004)
- AIChE National Meeting at Cincinnati , OH - Oral Presentation, Oct. 30- Nov. 4 (2005)

2. The Mechanism of Small Heat Shock Protein Ab Fibril Formation and Toxicity Prevention
- ACS National Meeting at Anaheim , CA - Oral Presentation, (Mar. 28- Apr. 1, 2004)
- Biophysical Society National Meeting at Baltimore , MD - Poster Presentation, (Feb. 14-18, 2004)

3. Hsp20, a novel a-crystallin, prevents Ab fibril formation and toxicity
- Graduate Research Conference University of Maryland ( Baltimore ) - Poster Presentation, (Apr. 17, 2003)
- Engineering of the Year at University of Maryland ( Baltimore County ) - Poster Presentation, (Apr. 8, 2003)
- ACS National Meeting at New Orleans , LA: Poster Presentation (BIOT, SciMix session), (Mar. 23-27, 2003)
- MABEC at University of Maryland ( College Park ) - Poster Presentation, (Mar. 14, 2003)
- AIChe National Meeting at Indianapolis , IN - Oral Presentation, (Nov. 3-8, 2002)

4. The Effect of Various Small Heat Shock Proteins on Prevention of Ab Aggregation And Toxicity
- AIChE National Meeting at Cincinnati , OH - Oral Presentation, Oct. 30- Nov. 4 (2005)

5. Thermodynamic and Kinetic Modeling of Protein Phase Transition Related to Diseases
- AIChE National Meeting at Cincinnati , OH - Poster Presentation, Oct. 30- Nov. 4 (2005)

6. Microencapsulation of catalase in polyketal polymer by double emulsion
- ACS National Meeting at San Francisco , CA - Poster Presentation, Sep. 10-14 (2006)

7. Aliphatic polyketals: A new family of polymers that degrade into biocompatible diols
- ACS National Meeting at San Francisco , CA - Poster Presentation, Sep. 10-14 (2006)

8. Polyketal Nanoparticles: A pH-Sensitive Delivery Vehicle For Treating Inflammatory Diseases
- Biomedical Engineering Society, Chicago , IL - Oral Presentation, Oct 11-14 (2006)

9. Polyketal: A new family of polymers for drug delivery
- Society for Biomaterials, Chicago , IL - Oral Presentation, Apr. 18-21 (2007)

10. Polyketal microparticle: A new acid-sensitive polymer for SOD drug delivery
- Biomedical Engineering Society, Los Angeles , CA - Oral Presentation, Sep 26-29 (2007)

11. In vivo delivery of siRNA targeting TNF-a with polyketal nanoparticles  

-  AIChE National Meeting at Philadelphia, PA ? Oral Presentation, Nov. 16-21 (2008)

12. Polyketals: A new acid-sensitive biomaterial for drug delivery 

- AIChE National Meeting at Philadelphia, PA ? Oral Presentation, Nov. 16-21 (2008)

13. New biotherapy and drug delivery for inflammatory diseases  

-  AIChE National Meeting at Philadelphia , PA ? Poster Presentation, Nov. 16-21 (2008)

14. Delivery of siRNA in vivo with polyketal nanoparticles

- Inter-PEN Meeting at Atlanta, GA ? Poster Presentation, Oct. 10-11 (2008)