About Me
Blending a passion for science and skincare to create meaningful solutions —wherever the journey takes me.
I am a synthetic biologist and co-founder of HunYule, a natural skincare brand dedicated to supporting people with extremely sensitive skin. With over 13 years of experience in pharmaceutical research, protein engineering, and plant-based biomanufacturing, I have focused his career on creating safer, cheaper medicine.
youngjunoh1983@gmail.com
Science-Driven Solutions for Extremely Sensitive Skin
My mission is to help people like my son who suffer from skin conditions by offering clean, effective, and biologically sound skincare solutions, especially for those with liver conditions, eczema, or sensitivities to synthetic ingredients.
Professional Summary
Molecular and synthetic biologist with over 13 years of experience in developing human and animal vaccines, including avian influenza, and specialized expertise in plant-based pharmaceutical production. Co-inventor of a patented virus-antigen conjugation platform (US11690907B2), primarily developed for human vaccines with promising applications in veterinary and human disease prevention. Demonstrated success in translational vaccine and cancer immunotherapy research, GMP-compliant operations, and scalable biologics manufacturing. Dedicated to advancing One Health through integrative research that connects human, animal, and environmental health.
Education
Postdoctoral Associate – University of Louisville, KY, USA
Plant-Made Biologics & Synthetic Biology | Aug 2016 – Oct 2019
Ph.D. in Cellular Systems Biology – POSTECH, South Korea
Sep 2010 – Feb 2016
M.S. in Nano-Membrane Biology – POSTECH, South Korea
Mar 2008 – Aug 2010
Areas of Expertise
– Vaccine Development (Influenza, Enterovirus, Zika virus)
– Virus-Antigen Conjugation & Glycoengineering (US Patent 11690907B2)
– Protein Engineering: antigen/antibody design, fusion proteins, trimerization
– Transgenic Plants & Plant-Made Biologics
– Editing and Synthetic Biology
– Molecular Cloning & Expression Systems (mammalian, microbial, plant)
– GMP Facility Operations & Regulatory Compliance
– Scientific Communication, Team Leadership
Professional Experience
Senior Scientist
KBio Inc., USA | Dec 2019 – Present
– Led translational R&D for vaccines and biologics targeting human and zoonotic pathogens (COVID-19, influenza, enterovirus, fungal infections, and cancer)
– Co-invented a patented virus-antigen conjugation platform (US11690907B2) with cross-species application potential in veterinary and human vaccines
– Engineered over 100 constructs including HA (including avian influenza) and coronaviruses, optimizing codon usage and regulatory sequences
– Developed transgenic plant lines and viral vectors using histone UTRs, MARs, and enhancer elements for scalable expression
– Oversaw GMP-compliant cell banking and contributed to IND-enabling studies (NCT04473690, NCT04439695, NCT06444048)
– Managed a multidisciplinary research team and ensured electronic lab documentation and training compliance
Postdoctoral Associate
University of Louisville, School of Medicine | Aug 2016 – Oct 2019
– Developed plant-derived vaccines and immunotherapies with potential veterinary and human use
– Designed Zika virus oral vaccines and mucosal delivery strategies applicable to enteric veterinary diseases
– Engineered lectibodies targeting tumor-associated glycans for NSCLC therapy
– Performed glycoengineering to enhance ADCC and immune performance in plant expression systems
– Studied intestinal inflammation models for ulcerative colitis and UPR pathways
Co-Founder
HunYule LLC, USA | Dec 2019 – Present
– Founded a natural skincare brand using immunobiological principles for sensitive and inflamed skin conditions
– Formulated preservative-free, bioactive compounds relevant to barrier function and anti-inflammatory action-
– Led regulatory setup, market strategy, and R&D–consumer product translation
Ph.D. Researcher
POSTECH, South Korea | Sep 2010 – Feb 2016
– Studied dual-organelle protein sorting and chloroplast membrane transport systems
– Engineered metabolic pathways in plants to boost nutrient content (iron, fatty acids)
– Gained deep experience in molecular biology, confocal imaging, in vitro translation, and immunoprecipitation
Patent
Vaccines Formed by Virus and Antigen Conjugation
US Patent No. 11690907 B2 | Assignee: KBio Inc.
Invented a versatile conjugate platform suitable for poultry and mammalian vaccine applications
Grants & Funding
Principal Investigator – National Research Foundation of Korea (2016–2017)
Project: Plant cell engineering for cholera vaccine | $28,667
Selected Publications
1. YJ Oh, M Dent, AR Freels, Q Zhou, CB Lebrilla, ML Merchant, N Matoba (2022). Antitumor activity of a lectibody targeting cancer-associated high-mannose glycans. Molecular Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.01.030
2. Royal J.M., P. Gregory, S.A. Carrie, P. Amanda, H. Steve, J.M. Josh, S. John, YJ Oh, S. Kelsi, D. Jennifer, W.J. Richard, C. Robert, B. Viktoriya, G. Thomas, D.K. Jennifer, M.A. Alison, B. Barry, H. Hugh (2021). Development of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate using plant-based manufacturing and a tobacco mosaic virus-like nanoparticle. MDPI Vaccines https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9111347
3. Oh, Y.J.+ (co-first author), Royal, J.M.+, Grey M.J., Lencer W.I., Ronquillo N., Galandiuk, S., Matoba, N. (2019). A Modified Cholera Toxin B Subunit Containing an ER Retention Motif Enhances Colon Epithelial Repair via an Unfolded Protein Response. FASEB J. https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1096/fj.201901255R
I am available for
One on One Counseling