The world first scientist who developed the diagnostic method and vaccine from the discovery of the pathogen
Educator and scientific technician concentrated in research and education lifelong
Lee Ho-wang
Honorary Professor, Korea University (1928~)
- Academic background
-
-
1954
Graduated College of Medicine, Seoul National University (Bachelor)
-
1955 ~ 1959
Master’s Degree in Medicine and Medical Doctor, Minnesota University, US
- Professional career
-
-
1954 ~ 1973
Teaching assistant- Professor, College of Medicine, Seoul National University
-
1973 ~ 1994
Professor, College of Medicine, Korea University
-
2000 ~ 2003
Chairman, National Academy of Sciences
- Awards
-
-
1994
Order of Civil Merit, Mongnyeon Medal
-
1995
Thai Prince Mahidol International Prize of Medicine
-
2001
Japan Nikkei Asia Award
Pasteur of Korea eradicating a mysterious disease
Professor Ho Wang Lee is the world's first scientist who completed the development of the diagnostic method and vaccine of the pathogen from its discovery.
He discovered the Hantan virus and Seoul virus, pathogens of epidemic hemorrhagic fever known as the world Top 3 epidemic disease with AIDS and malaria for the first time in the world and established a new genus involving them, Hantavirus. Following developing the diagnostic method of epidemic hemorrhagic fever in 1989, he developed its preventive vaccine, Hantavax, in 1990 for the first time in the world, by which rapid diagnosis and prevention of the disease with 7% of lethality was enabled. He made humankind escape from the fear of this mysterious disease by developing all of the processes from the identification of causing bacteria and the propagation route of the epidemic hemorrhagic fever to its diagnostic method and preventive vaccine. WHO assigned the virus laboratory of medical school, Korea University where he has worked since 1981 as the world only ‘WHO Hantavirus research cooperation center’ in recognition of his achievement.
Discovered Hantan virus and Seoul virus, pathogens of epidemic hemorrhagic fever for the first time
Although he started to study the epidemic hemorrhage study with the support of the department of the army, the USA in 1969, he had little advance 6 years later. At that time, global scientists were involved in this study but they suggested only various hypotheses that the disease is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, plant toxins, and mite. Meanwhile, he came to focus on the lung from the suggestion that fungus found in the lung of a rat was the pathogen in the book written by William Jallison. While observing antigens with a used fluorescent microscope on December 20, 1975, he came to discover the virus he has sought so desperately in the mouse’s lung. For 4 years from that, he demonstrated that the virus is an absolutely new species from a comparative test with over 500 viral species ever known until that. He named it a Hantan virus after the Hantan River where he discovered it. The Hantan virus was the first pathogenic microorganism discovered by Korean and this research achievement was acknowledged globally and listed in all medical and biological textbooks currently.
Following that, he found the pathogen of a new epidemic hemorrhagic pathogen in house rats collected in an apartment in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul and named it as Seoul Virus. It was the second microorganism found in Korea. From this discovery, it was identified that the epidemic hemorrhagic fever could be infected in the urban area. Professor Ho Wang Lee who found these two species of a pathogenic virus suggested the Hanta Virus as a new genus of the virus to international academic society and obtained official approval.
Starting the development of the vaccine from 1981, he found that it was possible to reduce its pathogenicity as a result of cultivating it in animal tissue successively in around 1985. After that, he performed a joint study with Green Cross and finally obtained a license to manufacture epidemic hemorrhagic fever preventive vaccine, This preventive vaccine was commercialized as ‘Hantavax’ from 1991 after completion of clinical trials. Hantavax is the first new drug in Korea.
Developed the epidemic hemorrhagic fever preventive vaccine (Hantavax), Korea ‘No.1’ new drug, and its diagnostic kit
He developed a complex preventive vaccine able to prevent both types of epidemic hemorrhagic fever developed in Asia and Europe in 1998 and obtained a patent. He published 240 articles related to the epidemic of hemorrhagic fever in Korean and international journals and registered 10 related patents.
Professor Ho Wang Lee is a proud scientist devoting his life to research and education. Serving as a professor for 40 years, he produced a number of younger students and after retirement from the university, he held chairman of Asia Science Council in 2003~2004, following head of Asian biology research institute (1994~1998), vice president of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (1994~1996), Head director of Hantan Biology Foundation (1996), the first chairman of Korean Vaccine Society (1997), and chairman of National Academy of Sciences (2000~2003).
He received the Thai Prince Mahidol International Prize of Medicine in 1995 and Japan Nikkei Asia Awards in 2001 and was nominated as a candidate for Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine by Gajdusek who received Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1976. Admiring his work, Korea University opened ‘Dr. Ho Wang Lee memorial hall’ in the Freedom Protection Peace Museum located in Dongducheon-si in June 2012.