“Protein is now essential common sense for everyone!”
AlphaFold, Wigobi, dementia treatment, antibody drugs…
What kind of future is protein opening up now?
Professor Kim Seong-hun's new work, winner of the Ho-Am Medical Prize and the Republic of Korea's Best Scientist and Engineer Award.
EXO Teacher (Lee Sun-ho) Recommended as Korea's Top Medical School Professor

“What comes to mind when you think of protein?” “Protein Revolution” begins with this question.
Most people's first thoughts would be meat, muscle, and protein drinks.
Our knowledge about protein is limited to the fact that it is a nutrient necessary for the body.
However, proteins are the most important biomolecules directly related to life and health.
Bones, skin, and muscles, as well as enzymes that help with various chemical reactions in the body, antibodies that fight disease in the immune system, and hormones that regulate the body, are all made of protein.


Currently, the scientific community is focusing on proteins as the key to unlocking the secrets of human birth, aging, illness, and death.
Over the past 25 years, approximately 40 percent of Nobel Prizes in Chemistry have been awarded for research related to proteins, and the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry will go to researchers in the field of "artificial intelligence for protein structure analysis."
Moreover, protein is leading the way in disease treatment, including the so-called "miracle diet pills" Wegobi and Ozempic.
A small molecule called protein is changing the world.


This is why Professor Kim Seong-hun, a world-renowned scholar in the field of biotechnology, wrote “Protein Revolution.”
He discovered various new functional proteins involved in cancer, immunity, metabolic diseases, etc., and published over 270 papers in world-renowned scientific journals such as [Cell] and [Science].
Having dedicated his life to protein research, he explores in this book how proteins are changing the world and their limitless possibilities.
Understanding proteins is no longer just the domain of scientists.
This is knowledge that all of us living in this era must explore together, and it is a culture that we must share for a better future.
Through "Protein Revolution," readers will be able to learn about the amazing secrets of proteins as well as the present and future of the bio age.

Until now, scientists have focused on uncovering the secrets of genes, the first code of life, and creating new genes or changing parts of genes to create life forms that did not previously exist.
And now the scientific community's attention is turned to proteins, the second code of life.
Why is the scientific community focusing on proteins? Because proteins are the most important biomolecules, directly related to our life and health.
--- "Introduction"

Even though we have the long-awaited human genome map in our hands, why are we still unable to unlock the secrets of birth, aging, illness, and death? The reason is simple.
This is because the life, aging, illness and death of the human body are not determined solely by the genetic sequence.
The sequence of genes is like the score of a symphony composed by Beethoven.
Depending on who conducts and plays the score, the music played each time has a different feel.
Even when the same conductor and musicians play the same piece, it is not exactly the same every time.
That is why, even if the same score is played tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of times, we still receive new and fresh emotions from each performance.
--- "Chapter 1: Protein, the Second Code of Life"

Recently, scientists have suspected that when the structure of proteins is altered due to stress or other factors and accumulates in the body, this causes accelerated aging or disease.
Therefore, research is actively being conducted around the world to prevent this phenomenon and control aging.
Preventing the detrimental changes in key proteins in the body is now emerging as a crucial strategy for delaying aging and preventing disease.
--- "Chapter 2: Unraveling the Secrets of Birth, Aging, Illness, and Death"

Conversely, research into using dopamine as a treatment is also actively underway.
Recent research results show that administering levodopa, a precursor to dopamine, to mice with Alzheimer's disease reduced symptoms, including improved cognitive ability.
It has confirmed the possibility of treating Alzheimer's disease, for which there is still no clear cure.
This is an example showing that dopamine can be used positively.
--- "Chapter 2: Unraveling the Secrets of Birth, Aging, Illness, and Death"

But why are humans so drawn to this savory flavor, a taste that defies precise explanation? The secret lies in the fact that we've been experiencing it since we were very young, even in our mother's womb.
Studies have shown that glutamate, the anionic form of glutamic acid, is found in the highest concentration in the amniotic fluid where the fetus lives for 40 weeks.
In this way, we experience savory taste even before we are born.
In addition, breast milk, which is the first food a baby begins to drink after birth, is rich in various amino acids necessary for the baby's healthy growth, and among these, glutamate is contained in the highest concentration at 44.17%.
--- "Chapter 3: The Science of Protein in Food"

There is a neurotransmitter called serotonin that is produced in our body.
This serotonin is often called the 'happiness hormone', and research shows that it plays a role in alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety.
The raw material for serotonin is an amino acid called tryptophan.
And representative foods that contain a lot of tryptophan are meat proteins such as pork and beef.
--- "Chapter 3: The Science of Protein in Food"

However, there was a fatal problem in that when GLP-1 was secreted into the body, it only worked for about 1 to 2 minutes and then broke down and disappeared.
So, scientists worked to create a protein that has a similar function to GLP-1 but is not broken down quickly and is maintained for a long time, and eventually created semaglutide, a GLP-1 analog that works in the body for 13 hours.
And in 2017, the U.S. FDA gave final approval for the use of Ozempic, a diabetes treatment drug made using semaglutide by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.
--- "Chapter 4: The Medicine That Saves, the Medicine That Kills"

Aspirin and Tylenol, which we are all familiar with, are synthetic drugs made artificially using chemicals. They have a low molecular weight structure, so they can be administered orally, and they have the advantage of being easy to mass-produce and having low production costs.
However, in many cases, there is a limitation that it may bind to proteins other than the original target in the body, causing unwanted side effects or toxicity.
In contrast, biopharmaceuticals are made of high molecular weight substances such as proteins and nucleic acids, so they cannot be administered orally, are difficult to mass-produce, and are expensive to produce.
However, compared to small molecule compounds, they have the advantage of having a relatively clear mechanism of action and high binding specificity to the target, resulting in relatively low side effects and toxicity.
--- "Chapter 4: The Medicine That Saves, the Medicine That Kills"

Those who tasted the most expensive burger in history left comments such as, “The hamburger patty is a little weak in juice, but the texture is perfect,” and “It’s similar to meat.”
And this event became the starting point for changing the food production laws that humanity has maintained for so long.
That's because the patty in this burger was cultured meat made from 20,000 cow muscle fibers grown in a laboratory by Professor Mark Post of Maastricht University in the Netherlands over a period of about three months.
--- "Chapter 5: Bio-Innovation and the Future of Life"

Blood is composed of plasma, which contains cellular components such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, as well as dozens of proteins and electrolytes, such as albumin and globulins.
It contains oxygen, carbon dioxide, and various nutrients absorbed through digestion of ingested food.
Because dozens of components are so intricately intertwined, diagnosing various diseases with just a few drops of blood is a very difficult task even for modern science.
This is strongly supported by the fact that none of Theranos' investors, who received an astronomical investment of 1.6 trillion won, were from the medical field.
--- "Chapter 5: Bio-Innovation and the Future of Life"

Finally, proteins such as fibroin and keratin are used in the textile and clothing industries as materials such as silk and wool.
In addition, it is used as a material for cosmetics and even eco-friendly adhesives, and recently, protein materials with smart sensor functions have been developed by utilizing the structural characteristics of proteins that dynamically change depending on temperature or hydrogen ion index, and are being used in various fields such as clothing, cosmetics, and biosensors.

--- From "Outgoing Writing"