New ISE Tumor Immunology Lab Opens at Songdo Campus to Advance Collaborative Cancer Research

UIC Assistant Professor and Chair of Bio-Convergence, Jae Hun Shin, recipient of a prestigious laboratory grant from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Korea, has propelled forward the development of tumor immunology with a significant infusion of resources. With the NRF grant totaling 100 million won, Professor Shin has acquired a cutting-edge flow cytometry instrument equipped with a 96-well plate loader, facilitating high throughput screening and analysis of cellular dynamics at the single-cell level.

The lab has opened at Veritas B439 and B440, with a cell culture room at B401 at the International Songdo Campus as of 2023. Professor Shin noted that this is the first biology laboratory in the division of Integrated Science and Engineering in UIC. Under Professor Shin’s guidance, the lab currently hosts a cohort of 2 graduate students and 8 undergraduate students. Their research focuses on the cellto-cell interactions between tumor cells and immune cells to discover the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of metastasis and immune evasion in cancer cells. Based on new findings in basic research, the research team also aims to develop therapeutic applications for not only cancers but also other inflammatory diseases. Together, Professor Shin hopes the lab will be “an educational niche for scientific endeavor and creativity.”

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Written by Professor Jae-hun Shin

Edited by Pho Vu (IID, '20.5)