11 Leading Research Centers Selected to Drive University R&D Innovation

[Financial News] The Ministry of Science and ICT said on the 27th that it held a ceremony to present designation certificates and plaques to 11 centers selected for the 2026 Basic Research Program's Leading Research Centers.
The Leading Research Centers project began in 1990 to strengthen organized collaborative research at universities and expand ties among industry, academia and research institutes. It is a medium- to large-scale joint research program for teams of around 8 to 13 researchers.
This year, 11 Leading Research Centers were selected in total, including four in the natural sciences, three in engineering and four in basic medical science. Funding began in July. Each center will receive 1.5 billion to 2.2 billion won a year for seven years as it works to pioneer and lead core research fields.
In the natural sciences category (SRC), the selected centers are the Center for Mathematical Algorithms and Security Research at Seoul National University, led by Professor Kim Pan-gi; the Quantum Phononics Research Center at Pusan National University (PNU), led by Professor Lee Jae-gwang; the Chromosome Systems and Dynamics Research Center at Chung-Ang University, led by Professor Kim Geun-pil; and the Plant Fruit Growth Research Center at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), led by Professor Kwak Jun-myeong.
In engineering (ERC), the three selected centers are the Center for Circular Polymer Systems at Yonsei University, led by Professor Ryu Du-yeol; the Center for Trustworthy Distributed Physical Systems at Seoul National University, led by Professor Shim Hyeong-bo; and the Center for High-Value Conversion of Environmentally Burdensome Waste Resources at the University of Seoul (UOS), led by Professor Park Yeong-gwon. In basic medical science (MRC), the selected centers are the Tumor Evolution-Environment Systems Research Center at The Catholic University of Korea, led by Professor Kim Tae-min; the Neural Dynamics-Based Research Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Seoul National University, led by Professor Seo Yeong-ho; the Neurocontinuum Center at Ajou University, led by Professor Park Sang-myeon; and the Leading Convergence Neuroregulation Research Center Based on Korean Medicine at Pusan National University (PNU), led by Professor Shin Hwa-gyeong.
Kim Sung-soo, head of the R&D Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "As the scientific and technological environment changes rapidly, the importance of collaborative research is growing for creating innovative results and solving converged challenges." He added, "We will actively support the Leading Research Centers so they can grow into excellent research groups with world-class competitiveness in a long-term and stable research environment."
Previously, the Leading Research Centers have been publishing about 3,500 SCI papers a year. Their citation count, which reflects paper quality, is 1.5 times the national average, underscoring their central role in generating both quantitative and qualitative achievements in Korea's basic research.


[email protected] Yeon Ji-an Reporter