Professor Myung-Ji Seo and the 2025 Excellent Paper Award in Science and Technology

Incheon National University (President Lee In-Jae) announced on the 12th that Professor Myung-Ji Seo from the Department of Biotechnology received the “35th Excellent Paper Award in Science and Technology” at the 2025 World Congress of Korean Scientists and Engineers held on July 10 at the Science and Technology Convention Center.

The awarded paper by Professor Seo is titled “Carotenoid-Producing Paracoccus aurantius sp. nov., Isolated from the West Coast of Dokdo Island, Republic of Korea,” and was published in the Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, a journal issued by the Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology.

This study identified a new bacterial species, Paracoccus aurantius, isolated from Dokdo Island, which produces a carotenoid known as astaxanthin. Through genomic, physiological, and biochemical analysis, the study revealed the characteristics of this microorganism. The research is significant in that it contributes to expanding microbial biodiversity from the Dokdo ecosystem and discovers a novel carotenoid-producing microorganism with potential applications as a natural antioxidant and bio-based material.

Professor Seo is actively conducting research in microbial biotechnology at Incheon National University, with a focus on the discovery of novel microbial resources, strain redesign based on synthetic biology, and large-scale production of sustainable high-value bio-based materials through precision fermentation.

In particular, Professor Seo has demonstrated outstanding capabilities in the development of microbial carotenoid materials and, based on this expertise, has achieved the remarkable feat of receiving the Excellent Paper Award in Science and Technology for two consecutive years, following the 2024 award.

The Excellent Paper Award in Science and Technology, presented by the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, is the highest academic honor in the Korean science and technology field. It is awarded annually to scientists and engineers who have published outstanding papers in domestic academic journals across five categories: natural sciences, engineering, agriculture and fisheries, health, and general studies.