Once again, congratulations on being selected as the winner of the ‘Doosan Yonkang Academic Awards – Pediatrics division’.

I’m honored to be selected for the 2nd Doosan Yonkang Pediatric Award. I’m grateful to Professors Ki Woong Sung and Woong-Yang Park at Samsung Medical Center for guiding me into research. I also thank Professors Keon Hee Yoo and Ji Won Lee for their steady support, and colleagues So-Yeon Lee and Su-Jin Park for their careful assistance. I will use this recognition as motivation to keep improving both care and research for children.

Among the many fields of medicine, I would like to hear the reason why you chose “Pediatrics” as your major.

I chose this field because, although few pursue it, the need is undeniable. For the same reason, I trained in the pediatric hematology–oncology subspecialty.

It would be grateful if you are able to explain the field you are working on, and the importance of the research.

After completing one year of fellowship training, I entered a Ph.D. program and am now primarily conducting cancer research using spatial transcriptomics. The strength of this technology lies in its high applicability, as it combines molecular information with pathology slides, which are a standard resource in the clinical setting. I anticipate an era where spatial transcriptomics and proteomics will be integrated into pathology slides, organically linking diagnostics, risk stratification, and therapeutic discovery directly to clinical practice. Although I am researching various diseases, I will strive consistently to ensure that pediatric patients are not left behind in benefiting from these technological advancements.

Could you please provide an explanation of the award-winning research paper?

Pediatric cancers, unlike adult cancers, are characterized by a very low number of genetic mutations within the tumor cells themselves. This makes it difficult to explain significant differences in treatment prognosis based solely on tumor characteristics. Currently, patients are classified and treated based on tumor features and classic clinical variables like stage and age, but I focused on the 'intrinsic characteristics' that each patient is born with. This research began with a half-joking comment from my mentor, Professor Ki Woong Sung, who often said that treatment outcomes are ultimately 'Pal-ja' (fate). While pondering what this 'fate' could be, I devised a method to quantify the role of 'germline mutations'—those inherited from the patient—rather than focusing on the tumor. The study confirmed that by considering the patient's unique, intrinsic genetic features alongside existing clinical variables, we can predict prognosis much more accurately.

I would like to inquire about your plans as a researcher and physician.

I am currently fulfilling my military service as a professional researcher and will be discharged soon. After my service, I plan to return to the hospital to continue my fellowship in pediatrics. My goal is to maintain a dual identity: as a clinician who treats patients at the bedside, and simultaneously as a researcher who generates scientific evidence. I aspire to connect my genomic analysis experience, gained during my Ph.D., to research that directly benefits patients—especially in fields needing translational research, such as pediatric oncology, where the research environment is relatively underserved. I aim to grow as a physician-scientist who identifies clinical needs, takes them to the lab, and in turn creates new breakthroughs in treatment.

Lastly, could you please share a few words of encouragement or advice for your fellow surgeons who are applying for the ‘Doosan Yongkang Academic Awards - Pediatrics division’.

To be honest, I feel I am still in the early stages of my research, so I feel both gratitude and a sense of responsibility in receiving this major award. This award will be a great source of strength and motivation for me as I continue my research and clinical work. I hope my receiving this award can also serve as a positive encouragement to other colleagues who are just beginning their research. I hope many will apply without hesitation, share in the joy of receiving this award as I have, and find it an opportunity to be encouraged in their research.