Systems Enzyme Engineering Lab
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Areum Lee, Ph.D.

Research Scientist

Areum Lee, Ph.D.

Joined the lab2024.12–present
Current courseResearch Scientist
Contact
areum_lee@jnu.ac.krHomepage ↗Google Scholar ↗

Professional Experience

2024–present
Postdoctoral Researcher

G-LAMP, School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University

2022–2024
Postdoctoral Researcher

Microbial Resource Research Institute, Pusan National University

Education

2015–2022
Ph.D. in Microbiology

Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University

2011–2015
B.S. in Microbiology

Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University

Research Interest

Archaeal Carbohydrate-Degrading Enzymes
  • Identify carbohydrate-active enzymes from extremophilic archaea and define their catalytic mechanisms under high-temperature and low-pH conditions.
  • Engineer enzyme activity, stability, and substrate range for glycan processing and biomass conversion.
Synthetic Biology Parts for Yeast
  • Discover promoters, terminators, regulatory elements, secretion signals, and genome-editing components in multiple yeast hosts.
  • Assemble reusable biological parts for precise control of gene expression and pathway flux.
Microbial and Enzymatic Meroterpenoid Production
  • Reconstruct microbial pathways that couple terpenoid units with diverse non-terpenoid biosynthetic scaffolds.
  • Engineer prenyltransferases, cyclases, and tailoring enzymes to expand meroterpenoid diversity and production.
Modular Enzyme Engineering
  • Analyze module boundaries, domain communication, substrate transfer, and molecular gatekeeping in assembly-line enzymes.
  • Apply structure-guided engineering to improve module compatibility, pathway throughput, and product control.
Plastic-Degrading Enzymes
  • Identify enzymes that cleave nylon- and polycarbonate-derived bonds and characterize their substrate-recognition mechanisms.
  • Improve activity and stability for polymer depolymerization and biological upcycling of recovered monomers.
Korean Traditional Alcohol Analysis
  • Profile microbial communities, enzyme activities, and metabolite changes throughout nuruk-based fermentation.
  • Relate sugars, organic acids, alcohols, and aroma compounds to fermentation performance, flavor, and product consistency.

Publications

1 Co-first author · * Corresponding author

2026

No. 11

Areum Lee and Hyeoncheol Francis Son*

Reverse beta-oxidation for biochemical production: insights into the functional properties of key enzymes

BMB Reports, 59(4), 209–218

Paper ↗

2025

No. 10

Areum Lee, Nahyun Park, Chihong Song, Jaeho Cha*

AmyA contributes to the glycogen synthesis in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 306, 141431

Paper ↗

2024

No. 9

Keumok Moon, Seola Lee, Eunhye Jo, Areum Lee, Jaeho Cha*

Biotransformation of Diterpenoids From Aralia continentalis Roots by the Genus Fusarium

Journal of Life Science, 34(4), 215–226

Paper ↗

2022

No. 8

Areum Lee, Hyeju Jin, Jaeho Cha*

Engineering of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius for Hemicellulosic Biomass Utilization

Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 32(5), 663–671

Paper ↗
No. 7

Keumok Moon, Hyun Su Park, Areum Lee, Jugyeong Min, Yunjung Park, Jaeho Cha*

Synthesis of α-cichoriin using Deinococcus geothermalis amylosucrase and its antiproliferative effect

Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters, 50(2), 218–227

Paper ↗

2021

No. 6

Areum Lee, Eunji Bae, Jihee Park, Kyoung-Hwa Choi, Jaeho Cha*

Identification of the Genes Related to the Glycogen Metabolism in Hyperthermophilic Archaeon, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 661053

Paper ↗
No. 5

Eunhye Jo, Jihye Kim, Areum Lee, Keumok Moon, Jaeho Cha*

Identification and characterization of a novel thermostable GDSL-type lipase from Geobacillus thermocatenulatus

Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 31(3), 483

Paper ↗

2020

No. 4

Christina Stracke, Benjamin H. Meyer, Anna Hagemann, Eunhye Jo, Areum Lee, Sonja-Verena Albers, Jaeho Cha, Christopher Bräsen, Bettina Siebers*

Salt Stress Response of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius Involves Complex Trehalose Metabolism Utilizing a Novel TPS/TPP Pathway

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 86(24), e01565-20

Paper ↗

2018

No. 3

Jungwook Park, Areum Lee, Hyun-Hee Lee, Inmyoung Park, Young-Su Seo*, Jaeho Cha*

Profiling of glucose-induced transcription in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius DSM 639

Genes & Genomics, 40, 1157–1167

Paper ↗
No. 2

Junho Lee, Areum Lee, Keumok Moon, Kyoung-Hwa Choi, Jaeho Cha*

Saci_1816: A Trehalase that Catalyzes Trehalose Degradation in the Thermoacidophilic Crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 28(6), 909–916

Paper ↗

2017

No. 1

Areum Lee, Kyoung-Hwa Choi, Dahye Yoon, Suhkmann Kim, Jaeho Cha*

Characterization of a thermostable glycoside hydrolase family 36 α-galactosidase from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii

Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 124(3), 289–295

Paper ↗

Presentations