National Cancer Center launches new Korea–Boston joint research to pioneer treatments for CNS autoimmune diseases

The National Cancer Center (NCC) announced on November 20 that a research team led by Dr. Hojin Kim from the Departments of Neurology and Rare & Intractable Cancer has been selected for the 2025 Korea–Boston Joint Research & Development Program.

This year’s program recorded a competition rate of 19.6:1, a significant rise from last year’s 11.8:1, reflecting heightened expectations for Korea–U.S. research collaboration.

The selected project, titled “Characterizing Neuroglia–Immune Cell Interactions in CNS Autoimmune Diseases and Identifying Therapeutic Targets,” will be conducted jointly with Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School. The four-year project will be supported by a KRW 6 billion (approx. USD 4.4 million) research grant.

The study focuses on autoimmune diseases affecting the central nervous system—such as multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and MOG-antibody–associated disease (MOGAD). By closely examining astrocyte-centered interactions among immune cells, the research aims to identify mechanisms driving inflammation and neural injury and ultimately discover novel therapeutic targets.

While previous studies largely centered on immune responses involving lymphocytes or antibodies, this project highlights the immune-modulating and antigen-presenting roles of astrocytes, offering a new direction that seeks to understand the neuroimmune network directly at the site of disease.

Dr. Kim Ho-jin’s team will collaborate with Professor Francisco J. Quintana of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor Michael Levy of Massachusetts General Hospital, utilizing NCC’s extensive cohort and biospecimen resources for CNS autoimmune disease patients—the largest in Korea.

The joint study will employ cutting-edge technologies such as RABID-seq and SPEAC-seq for single-cell interaction analysis and spatial transcriptomics to map disease processes at cellular resolution. The project aims to establish an integrated research model that spans from disease mechanism discovery to therapeutic target validation.

“Astrocytes are not merely reactive cells but key regulators that determine the trajectory of immune responses,” Dr. Kim said. “By uncovering this regulatory role, we hope to propose new strategies that go beyond the limitations of current therapies. We expect this research to deepen the fundamental understanding of CNS diseases and pave the way for next-generation treatment development.”