North Carolina
Dr. Yeoheung Yun named 2022 O. Max Gardner Award Winner – UNC System
CHAPEL HILL, NC – Dr. Yeoheung Yun, professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State College, is the recipient of the 2022 Oliver Max Gardner Award, the College of North Carolina System introduced Thursday.
The award, established by the desire of former North Carolina Governor O. Max Gardner, acknowledges school who’ve “made the best contribution to the welfare of the human race.” The award, first introduced in 1949, is the best honor the UNC Board of Governors confers on school.
Dr. Yun’s analysis has led to enhancements in medical expertise and improvements that give well being care professionals extra highly effective instruments to develop medication and examine ailments. He helped produce a stem-cell derived mannequin of the mind, generally known as a “mini mind,” that replicates key areas of entry for Alzheimer’s-combating medication. He’s at the moment the principal investigator on a $1.43 million Nationwide Institutes of Well being grant awarded in 2021.
“Dr. Yun’s analysis is main us to a greater understanding of Alzheimer’s and different mind ailments – step one in discovering more practical remedies,” mentioned UNC System President Peter Hans. “We’re happy with his necessary developments in science, and we congratulate him on his groundbreaking work.”
Previous to the mind analysis, Dr. Yun labored on a Division of Protection grant to display screen nerve brokers and examine their poisonous results. He additionally pioneered developments in nanotechnology. He helped develop the longest carbon nanotube array on this planet in 2007 when he was a researcher on the College of Cincinnati.
Dr. Yun grew to become the primary school member of N.C. A&T’s bioengineering program. He performed a pivotal function in serving to the college create an accredited diploma program in bioengineering, making it the primary amongst traditionally Black establishments to attain this distinction. He additionally secured a $5 million federal grant to ascertain a state-of-the-art facility for high-level analysis.
“Dr. Yun’s dedication to bioengineering training and his cutting-edge improvements have superior the understanding of mind illnesses and the properties of metals designed to degrade within the physique,” mentioned N.C. A&T Chancellor Harold Martin, Sr. “His notable contributions are affecting societies worldwide.”
He has printed greater than 100 analysis papers and has acquired 4 U.S. patents. Furthermore, his work has been utilized to industrial purposes, together with 4 Small Enterprise Innovation Analysis tasks.
“The Board is honored to bestow its highest award on Dr. Yun, a distinguished researcher who conjures up our college students day by day,” mentioned Board of Governors Chair Randy Ramsey.
In regards to the College of North Carolina System
The College of North Carolina System enrolls almost 250,000 college students at 17 campuses, together with the state’s 16 public universities and the nation’s first public residential highschool for academically gifted college students. The UNC System is among the many strongest and most numerous increased training techniques within the nation, with over $1.8 billion in analysis expenditures and universities that serve each area of the state. Affiliate organizations embrace UNC Well being and PBS North Carolina, with its 12-station broadcast community.