Biomedical subjects

Hyunjoon Kong

Publications and source records attributed to Hyunjoon Kong.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Microblasting Wound Dressings Mechanically Disrupt Polymicrobial Biofilms to Enhance Healing in Treatment-Resistant Wounds.

Treatment-resistant wounds driven by polymicrobial biofilms are a major clinical challenge, affecting millions globally and leading to chronic inflammation, persistent pain, and poor healing outcomes. These wounds are characterized by mature biofilms reinforced by dense extracellular polymeric substances, which confer strong tolerance to conventional treatments. Despite emerging technologies, such as nanoparticles, bacteriophages, and engineered enzymes, effective clearance of established biofilms remains challenging. Here, we develop a microblasting wound dressing (µBLAST) that delivers spatially confined mechano-chemical disruption at the tissue-biofilm interface to remove viscoelastic biofilm matrices and promote tissue regeneration. The µBLAST is assembled by embedding MnO2-doped diatom biosilica beneath an H2O2-releasing cellulose mesh, enabling localized catalytic microbubble generation within biofilm matrices. Confined expansion and rupture of oxygen bubbles produce localized mechanical stress sufficient to dislodge mature, antibiotic-resistant polymicrobial biofilms, while sustained H2O2 release prolongs particle activity. In a murine wound model infected with mature P. aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant S. aureus biofilms, µBLAST treatment significantly reduces biofilm burden, accelerates re-epithelialization, promotes hair regrowth, and mitigates inflammation. Moreover, µBLAST enhances antibiotic efficacy, suppressing biofilm regrowth even at ten-fold reduced drug doses. These findings highlight confined mechano-chemical biofilm disruption as a therapeutic strategy for treating mature, antibiotic-resistant biofilm infections and promoting tissue regeneration.

Biofilms↗

PubMed2025

Ambient-Stable and Resilient Glycerogel Electrolytes for Flexible Solid-State Supercapacitors.

Hydrogel electrolytes are increasingly used for flexible solid-state supercapacitors emerged as promising power sources due to their similarity to aqueous electrolytes. However, their performance is limited by evaporation or freezing in challenging weather, restricting their practical applications. This study introduces a flexible glycerogel electrolyte with antidrying and antifreezing properties, offering exceptional durability under harsh conditions. Inspired by the role of glycerol and electrolytes in electrodermal activity of biological tissue, eco-friendly NaCl and hygroscopic glycerol are incorporated into a stretchable hydrogel matrix. The resulting glycerogel electrolyte retained hydration in the open air for 180 days. It also exhibited stable conductivity under extreme temperatures (-20 to 60 °C) and low-pressure conditions (∼2.4 kPa). A fibrous solid-state supercapacitor assembled using carbon nanotube yarns delivered a maximum gravimetric capacitance of 148 F·g-1 at 0.5 A·g-1. Notably, the device maintained 94%, 86%, and 90% of its initial capacitance after 30 days of exposure to -20 °C, 60 °C, and low-pressure conditions, respectively, without encapsulation. To demonstrate practical utility, this fibrous supercapacitor was integrated into the ear loop of a facial mask, enabling heat-induced sanitization that killed 99.999% of bacterial cells. This glycerogel electrolyte provides a sustainable, versatile solution for powering future wearable electronic devices across diverse environmental conditions.

Electric Capacitance↗

PubMed2025

Interrogating functional connectivity of in vitro neural glia tissue model modulated through integrative control of matrix stiffness and a neurotrophic factor.

Brain function emerges from intricate cellular communication within neural networks. Both In silico neuronal models and primary neuron cells have revealed that the branching architecture of individual neurons determines the bioelectrical signal propagation pattern and dynamics. However, whether stem cell-differentiated neurons can build functional connectivity regulated by neuronal morphology has yet to be determined. Here, we hypothesized that neurite length, branching, or both factors would regulate the functional connectivity of the stem cell-differentiated neural network. We examined this hypothesis by differentiating mouse cortical neural stem cells (NSCs) on Matrigel substrates with varying storage moduli, both with and without basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Interestingly, with bFGF, Matrigel with a storage modulus (G') of 100 Pa drives NSCs to differentiate into neurons with more dendritic branches, while the gel with G' of 50 Pa led to the development of longer neurites with fewer branches. Notably, branch-rich neural networks exhibited an increased frequency of calcium transients. Using a MATLAB-based analysis pipeline incorporating graph theory, we constructed spatial and temporal calcium activity maps, revealing that branching complexity, more than neurite length, correlates with the density and strength of functional neural circuits. Overall, this study demonstrates that the dendritic branching of neurons, modulated with matrix stiffness and neurotrophic factors, is a key element in enhancing the electrophysiological functionality of the stem cell-differentiated neural network. This finding will have a significant impact on efforts to reconstruct functional neural tissue models, advancing both regenerative therapies and unexplored applications, including biological computing.

Animals↗

PubMed2024

Neuronal innervation regulates the secretion of neurotrophic myokines and exosomes from skeletal muscle.

Myokines and exosomes, originating from skeletal muscle, are shown to play a significant role in maintaining brain homeostasis. While exercise has been reported to promote muscle secretion, little is known about the effects of neuronal innervation and activity on the yield and molecular composition of biologically active molecules from muscle. As neuromuscular diseases and disabilities associated with denervation impact muscle metabolism, we hypothesize that neuronal innervation and firing may play a pivotal role in regulating secretion activities of skeletal muscles. We examined this hypothesis using an engineered neuromuscular tissue model consisting of skeletal muscles innervated by motor neurons. The innervated muscles displayed elevated expression of mRNAs encoding neurotrophic myokines, such as interleukin-6, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and FDNC5, as well as the mRNA of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α, a key regulator of muscle metabolism. Upon glutamate stimulation, the innervated muscles secreted higher levels of irisin and exosomes containing more diverse neurotrophic microRNAs than neuron-free muscles. Consequently, biological factors secreted by innervated muscles enhanced branching, axonal transport, and, ultimately, spontaneous network activities of primary hippocampal neurons in vitro. Overall, these results reveal the importance of neuronal innervation in modulating muscle-derived factors that promote neuronal function and suggest that the engineered neuromuscular tissue model holds significant promise as a platform for producing neurotrophic molecules.

Exosomes↗