Prof. Choi Sang-ho from the Dept. of Food Science & Technology, Division of Applied Bioscience & Biotechnology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, succeeded in identifying the mechanisms of bacterium growth and toxin formation for Vibrio vulnificus. He presented his research papers to international academic journals with quotable authority and the articles were accepted to be in press. The Journal of Bacteriology and the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC) introduced his achievements in investigating the molecular basis of virulence of Vibrio vulnificus associated with fatal septicemia in humans. His article, entitled \"Characterization of the Vibrio vulnificus putAP Operon, Encoding Proline Dehydrogenase and Proline Permease, and Its Differential Expression in Response to Osmotic Stress\", was published in the July edition of the Journal of Bacteriology, Vol. 185. Another research paper on \"SmcR and Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein Coactivate Vibrio vulnificus vvpE Encoding Elastase through the RpoS-dependent Promoter in a Synergistic Manner\" was published in the JBC, Nov. 14, 2003. The two journals are globally recognized as academic journals with quotable authorities in biological science. Vibrio vulnificus normally surfaces from June through October in the southern and western coastal areas, causing sickness among those who eat contaminated raw fish or shellfish. The disease can also be passed through open wounds when people handle uncooked fish. Last year, 39 people were infected with the bacterium and died of the disease. Although most healthy people are resistant to the bacterium, it can be fatal for chronic liver disease patients, as well as diabetics and alcoholics, who have weak immune systems. Prof. Choi
s research projects focus on the understanding of the genetic organization and nature of gene products involved in regulation of virulence genes in the pathogen. His recent investigation offered significant information to develop antibiotic agents and food manufacturing processes inhibiting bacterial food-borne intoxications. Prof. Choi has conducted various research projects related with Vibrio vulnificus since 1993 and he succeeded in developing rapid method of detection and identification for Vibrio vulnificus. Through the new method, the infection can be identified within ten hours. Based on the existing method of identification, the bacteria extracted from human bodies should be cultivated for over a week to check the state of infection. This accomplishment was highly regarded to shorten the time for identifying Vibrio infection. Prof. Choi joined the CNU faculty in 1993. He obtained a B.A. in Food Biotechnology from the Seoul National University, an M.S. in Bioscience and Engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and his Ph. D. in Microbiology from the University of Iowa. He has been conducting many research projects on biological science and technology.