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Centennial History of Yonsei Dermatology
Vol. 30, No. 5, 2018 513
Received March 23, 2018, Accepted for publication March 23, 2018
Corresponding author: Sang Ho Oh, Department of Dermatology and
Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College o
f
Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Korea. Tel:
82-2-2228-2080, Fax: 82-2-393-6947, E-mail: oddung93@yuhs.ac
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4477-1400
Kee Yang Chung, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology
Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro,
Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Korea. Tel: 82-2-2228-2080, Fax:
82-2-393-6947, E-mail: kychung@yuhs.ac
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3257-0297
T
his is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work
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Copyright © The Korean Dermatological Association and The Korean
Society for Investigative Dermatology
pISSN 1013-9087ㆍeISSN 2005-3894
Ann Dermatol Vol. 30, No. 5, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2018.30.5.513
INVITED REVIEW ARTICLE
Centennial History of Yonsei University Dermatology in
Korea: 1917 to 2017
Jihee Kim, Tae-Gyun Kim, Si Hyung Lee, Min Kyung Lee, Jong Hoon Kim, Sang Eun Lee,
Do Young Kim, Mi Ryung Roh, Chang Ook Park, Ju Hee Lee, Min-Geol Lee, Dongsik Bang1,
Sang Ho Oh, Kee Yang Chung
Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 1Department of
Dermatology, Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon, Korea
Yonsei Dermatology celebrated its centennial in 2017, mark-
ing 100 years since Kung Sun Oh established the first
Department of Dermatology and Urology in Korea in 1917.
Following the footsteps of Kung Sun Oh, a pioneer of Korean
dermatology, its members united and worked to provide the
best medical service and achieve academic milestones in
dermatology. Over the past hundred years, Yonsei
Dermatology has played a pivotal role in the advancement of
medical science and academia in Korea. The main activities
of the department include medical care, education, and der-
matologic research. Its research activities have encompassed
a wide spectrum of dermatologic manifestations from skin
immunology and pathology to introduction of newly devel-
oped treatment technologies. As Kung Sun Oh was the first
Korean professor of dermatology at Severance Medical
School and a passionate educator, we continue to serve his
will by nurturing medical students and dermatology special-
ists to serve as global medical leaders. The Kung Sun Oh
Memorial Lecture, first hosted in 1977, was the beginning of
mutual international academic exchange in the field of der-
matology in Korea. The memorial lecture has played a major
role in advancing the academic status of Korean dermato-
logical science by inviting distinguished dermatologists from
around the world as guest lecturers. Yonsei Dermatology has
played a key role in the history of modern medicine and der-
matology in Korea over the last 100 years and continues to
make an impact. (Ann Dermatol 30(5) 513∼521, 2018)
-Keywords-
Dermatology, Kung Sun Oh, Severance, Yonsei
INTRODUCTION
The beginning of modern medicine and Yonsei University
College of Medicine
An American medical missionary, Horace N. Allen, plant-
ed the seed for modern medicine in Korea. Established in
1885 during the Gapsin Coup, Gwanghyewon was the na-
tion’s first modernized hospital (Fig. 1A). In the same year,
it was renamed Chejungwon “House of Civilized Virtue”.
From the beginning, the medical services at the Chejungwon
covered various sub-specialties of modern western medi-
cine, including dermatology and venereology. From 1986,
Horace N. Allen provided the first basic medical educa-
tion in Korea. After Oliver R. Avison’s nomination as the
fourth director of the Chejungwon in 1893, the institution
began to emphasize the importance of medical education
for future generations. In 1904, the Chejungwon changed
its name to Severance Hospital in commemoration of
J Kim, et al
514 Ann Dermatol
Fig. 1. (A) Kwanghyewon, renamed as Chejungwon (House of
Civilized Virtue), at its opening as the Korea’s first modernized
hospital in 1885. (B) Present day Yonsei University Health
System in 2017. (C) Lecture in Dermatology by Kung Sun Oh,
the founder of Yonsei Dermatology, in 1931. The students were
taught ‘Lupus Vulgaris’ as indicated in the blackboard. Adapted
from Bang and Chung. Early Roots of Western Medicine and
a Pioneer of Social Work in Korea: Dr. Kung Sun Oh
(1878-1963). Yonsei Med J 2016
;
57:277-2826.
Louis Severance, who donated a large sum of money to
build a new hospital building near Sungnyemun gate1. In
the same year, the name of early medical school changed
to Severance Hospital Medical School. The first seven
medical licenses in Korean history were awarded to gradu-
ates of Severance Hospital Medical School in 1908, who
all later became paramount figures in the establishment of
modern medicine. The name of the medical school was
aptly changed to Severance Union Medical School in
1913; later renamed as Severance Union Medical College
in 1921, along with the appointment of lectures from vari-
ous mission boards. Eventually, the early roots of
Chejungwon provided solid foundation of Severance
Hospital and Yonsei University College of Medicine in
Yonsei University Health System (YUHS), as we know it
today (Fig. 1B). Current facilities of YUHS encompass
three colleges (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing) and five hos-
pitals (Severance Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital,
Dental Hospital, Yongin Severance Hospital).
YONSEI DERMATOLOGY: EARLY YEARS TO
CURRENT DEPARTMENT
Kung Sun Oh (1913∼1942, dates indicate the years
served at Yonsei University College of Medicine):
founder of Yonsei Dermatology
Kung Sun Oh was the second Korean to receive medical
education in the US. In 1907, he graduated from the
University of Louisville, School of Medicine. During his
medical school years in the US, Kung Sun Oh studied der-
matology under John Edwin Hays. Kung Sun Oh returned
to Korea after graduation and served medical missions in
medically isolated areas in Korea. Kung Sun Oh first came
to Severance Union Medical School in 1913, as he was
commissioned by the mission board of the US Southern
Presbyterian Church to be dispatched to Medical School
as an assistant professor2. As the first Korean professor at
Severance Union Medical School, he provided supple-
mentary teaching in Korean to medical students on di-
verse subjects, including internal medicine, surgery, and
basic science, as well as dermatology (Fig. 1C)3. In 1916,
Kung Sun Oh visited Tokyo Imperial University for a year,
to study dermatology and urology under Ikuzo Toyama. In
May 1917, the Department of Dermatology and Urology
Centennial History of Yonsei Dermatology
Vol. 30, No. 5, 2018 515
was established at Severance Union Medical School and
Kung Sun Oh was appointed as the first chair of the
department. Since then, he served the department for 18
years. During his professorship, Kung Sun Oh visited
University of Vienna in 1930 to seek latest knowledge in
field of dermatology. Afterwards, he dedicated his life to
education, especially to the development of Medical
School4,5.
Kung Sun Oh was revered for his contributions to social
welfare service in Korea. In 1919, he established Korea’s
first orphanage named Gyeongseong Orphanage. Addition-
ally, he established Gyeongseong Nursing Home for the
elderly in 1931. After his retirement, he took care of more
than 2,400 orphans as the director of the orphanage and
devoted the rest of life to social work until his passing. He
received the Order of Cultural Merits, Republic of Korea
Medal and Sopa Award from the Korean Children’s
Association for enhancing child welfare in Korea6.
YONSEI DERMATOLOGY: BRIEF HISTORY
OF THE DEPARTMENT
Following in the footsteps of Kung Sun Oh, Young Joon
Lee became the second chair of the Department of
Dermatology and Urology between 1934 and 1942 and
served as the third Dean of Severance Union Medical
College. He also served as a congressman, Secretary
General of the Korean Red Cross and the Vice Speaker of
the National Assembly. Hak Song Lee, served as the third
chair between 1943 and 1946 of the department, and
played a pivotal role in establishing the present day intern-
ship and residency training program at Severance
Hospital. In 1943, he was appointed as the Superinten-
dent of the Severance Hospital. In 1949 he became the
chairman in the department of Urology at Seoul National
University College of Medicine. Sang Yo Lee was the
fourth chairperson of the Department of Dermatology and
Urology at Severance Union Medical College between
1947 and 1949. Sang Yo Lee and Chong Soon Wang
joined as the first board members of Korean Dermatological
Association (KDA), which was separated as independent
organization from Chosun Dermato-Urology Association
in 1954. Chong Soon Wang (1939∼1981) was the fifth
and seventh chairperson. He served as the first president
of the department of Urology after the separation of the
two departments in 1960. Nam Zoo Lee (1949∼1966)
served as the sixth chairperson and when the department
separated in 1960 into two independent departments, he
became the eighth chairperson of dermatology. The in-
auguration of the first chair of the independent department
marked the beginning of the Yonsei Dermatology. During
his term, Nam Zoo Lee was commissioned as the 20th
president of the KDA. Hak Song Lee and Nam Zoo Lee
served as early committee members of KDA who were ap-
pointed to establish qualification board exam systems. Tae
Ha Woo (1959∼1975) served as the ninth department
chairperson and served as the 31st (1982∼1984) presi-
dent of the KDA. Tae Ha Woo donated the first office for
its use as KDA headquarters in 1981 in Gangnam-gu,
Seoul. Sungnack Lee (1975∼1990) served as the tenth
chairperson, and during his service, he actively promoted
international academic exchange, inspired passion for re-
search, and contributed to the acquisition of new medical
knowledge from abroad. He also played a major role in
elevating the departmental status to an international level
by securing and establishing a sub-specialty for each
professor. Following this, in chronological order, Jung
Bock Lee, Yoon-Kee Park, Dongsik Bang, Seung Hun Lee,
Kwang Hoon Lee, and Min-Geol Lee served as chairpersons.
Currently, Kee-Yang Chung is serving as the 17th chair-
person of the department since 2015. All professors have
contributed to the development of Korean dermatology by
continuously engaging in academic research and focusing
on training the next generation.
CLINICAL AND BASIC RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
OF YONSEI DERMATOLOGY
From the very beginning, Yonsei Dermatology has played
a pivotal role in the advancement of dermatological sci-
ence and introduced key diagnostic and treatment pearls
in Korea.
Venereology: sexually transmitted diseases and syphilis
Around 1924, Kung Sun Oh first documented the preva-
lence of sexually transmitted disease in Korea during his
service as a professor of dermatology and urology at
Severance Union Medical College. He campaigned
against prostitution to prevent transmission of venereal
infections. Following his footsteps, in 1972, the depart-
ment introduced the first fluorescent treponemal anti-
body-absorption (FTA-ABS) test in Korea in cooperation
with the Department of Clinical Pathology. Further
full-scale research was initiated when Sungnack Lee
served as the chair of the department. Jung Bock Lee ini-
tiated the basic laboratory work in the field of syphilis in
1982, and Min-Geol Lee and Hyung-Il Kim joined the
team to establish the 19S(IgM)-FTA test for syphilis
diagnosis. The test has been clinically applied to diagnose
active syphilis since 19847. In the meantime, Jung Bock
Lee received a Fogarty International Research Fellowship
from the National Cancer Institute (NIH) in the US, and
J Kim, et al
516 Ann Dermatol
studied the diagnostic role of enzyme-linked immu-
nosorbent assay (ELISA) for specific immunoglobulin M in
neurosyphilis8. During the 1980s and 1990s, Jung Bock
Lee and Min-Geol Lee heavily focused on molecular and
biochemical tools to enhance the accuracy of diagnosis of
syphilis. Based on our advanced laboratory techniques for
syphilis serology, we hosted six annual course works titled
‘International Laboratory Course on Serologic Tests for
Syphilis’ from 1986 to 1992 to educate doctors from
Southeast Asia and Africa.
Behçet’s disease
Until the 1980s, Behçet’s disease was an unfamiliar dis-
ease entity in Korea. Sungnack Lee had experienced the
importance of Behçet’s disease while studying with
Theodor Nasemann. Together with Dongsik Bang, he
helped introduce Behçet’s disease to Korea. In 1983, the
very first Behçet’s disease specialty clinic in Korea was
opened at Severance Hospital. The clinic significantly con-
tributed to heighten public perception of the disease in
Korea, and nowadays, more than 10,000 patients are reg-
istered in its cohort9.
In 1985, the first presentation on Behçet’s disease in Korea
was given at the 4th International Conference on Behçet’s
disease (ICBD), preceding academic achievements in fol-
lowing years. After his visit to Kawasaki Medical University
and Juntendo University in Japan, Dongsik Bang focused
on microstructural studies of Behçet’s disease patients and
underlying pathophysiology of its cutaneous manifestations.
The team demonstrated the pathogenic role of human her-
pes virus, and established the first successful animal mod-
el for the disease10. In following years, the team demon-
strated the presence of autoantibody in patient sera, which
led to the identification of a novel target, -enolase in vas-
cular endothelial cells, for autoimmunity11. The steady ef-
fort of the research team for over 30 years eventually vali-
dated the underlying pathophysiology of the disease.
Sungnack Lee published an international textbook through
Springer-Verlag entitled “Behçet’s disease: a guide to its
clinical understanding” with the Korean Study Group of
Behçet’s disease12.
In 2006, Dongsik Bang participated with a group of ex-
perts to prepare guidelines for the European League Against
Rheumatism (EULAR) guidelines. In 2008, Sungnack Lee
and Dongsik Bang were elected as President and Secretary
General of the International Society for Behçet’s Disease
(ISBD), and actively involved themselves as executive
committee members to date. Sungnack Lee and Dongsik
Bang served as the founding members and laid the corner-
stone for the expansion of research in Behçet’s Disease.
Photomedicine and vitiligo
Beginning and development in the fields of photomedicine
and vitiligo were achieved by Yoon-Kee Park and Seung-
Kyung Hann. In 1981, Yoon-Kee Park opened the first
phototherapy center of Korea in Severance Hospital. In
1984, Yoon-Kee Park designed the first Korean photo-
therapy apparatus to benefit patients with novel technology.
Subsequently, a specialty clinic for vitiligo and psoriasis
patients was introduced in 1986. Yoon-Kee Park started
photo-chemotherapy protocol using psoralen for psoriasis
and vitiligo treatment for the first time in Korea. Yoon-Kee
Park and Seung-Kyung Hann published a paper presenting
the effective results of autologous epidermal grafting and
PUVA in 100 vitiligo patients13.
In 1990, the first national symposium for photomedicine
was organized to introduce clinical protocols of photo-
therapy to Korean dermatologists. In 1991 and 1992,
International Course on Phototherapy and Phototest was
hosted to instruct foreign dermatologists.
The group continued basic research on pigmentary
disorders. For the first time in Korea, culture of melano-
cytes was successfully isolated from the skin of vitiligo pa-
tients with self-developed media. In the mid-1990s, they
revealed the autoantibodies present in vitiligo patient sera
that react with an autoantigen at a molecular weight of 65
kd in the surface of melanocytes14. In recognition to this
contribution, Yoon-Kee Park was honored with a Yonsei
Academic Award in 1992. Seung-Kyung Hann classified
facial segmental vitiligo according to its involved dis-
tribution and configuration, and the publication has been
highly quoted15-17.
Contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis
Yonsei Dermatology was the first in Korea to introduce a
patch test kit to diagnose allergic contact dermatitis in
1969, when Tae Ha Woo was a department chair18. His
foresight to the latest diagnostic tool led to the burgeoning
of future research in skin immunology.
In 1986, allergy specialty clinic was established in Severance
hospital. In 1995, Kwang Hoon Lee initiated developed al-
lergen-specific immunotherapy using house dust mites for
atopic dermatitis patients for the first time in Korea. Since
its beginning, the specialty clinic for allergen-specific im-
munotherapy has registered over 800 patients and the suc-
cessful treatment outcomes were published in 201319.
Kwang Hoon Lee and his research team have carried out
basic and clinical research on abnormalities in atopic der-
matitis, connections between stress and immune regu-
lation, and new targets of atopic dermatitis, and his work
has been published in high impact journals20-22.
Centennial History of Yonsei Dermatology
Vol. 30, No. 5, 2018 517
In recognition of his academic and clinical achievement,
Kwang Hoon Lee was selected as the Korean representa-
tive for the International Eczema Council (IEC), and has
been serving as an executive director since 2015. As the
paradigm is quickly shifting towards treating immune dis-
orders with biologics, current members are actively in-
volved in global clinical trials of novel biologics under
development.
Psoriasis and skin dendritic cells
A specialty clinic for psoriasis was opened by Yoon-Kee
Park in 1986. The research of psoriasis in Yonsei
Dermatology was begun by Yoon-Kee Park and Wook
Lew. In 2004, Wook Lew visited the laboratory directed
by James Krueger in Rockefeller University, who dis-
covered the critical role for interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis in
psoriasis. A review article written by Wook Lew on the
pathogenesis of psoriasis published during his visit to the
Rockefeller University has achieved more than 200 cita-
tions to date23.
After the 2000s, the immunologic aspect of psoriasis was
emphasized as a key pathogenic trigger. Min-Geol Lee is
now conducting several international multicenter clinical
trials for novel biologics. The research team in psoriasis
specialty clinic focuses on identifying the underlying path-
omechanisms of psoriasis using human tissues and diverse
genetically-engineered mouse models24.
Min-Geol Lee started the research of skin dendritic cells in
Korea. When he visited NIH under the supervision of
Mark Udey, he demonstrated co-stimulatory molecules
and E-cadherin expression in Langerhans cells and epi-
dermal dendritic T cells25,26. Min-Geol Lee continued to
decipher the role of dendritic cells in skin disease, and re-
ported numerous basic research publications27. Min-Geol
Lee served as the vice-president for the 12th International
Symposium on Dendritic Cells, elevating the status of den-
dritic cell research field in Korea.
Skin barrier
In the 1990s, Seung Hun Lee was the first to introduce the
concept of a ‘skin barrier’ to Korea. He first demonstrated
that calcium ion is a crucial signal for permeability barrier
recovery when he studied in a laboratory supervised by
Peter Elias at University of California, San Francisco28.
After returning to Korea, he reported that protein kinase C
(PKC), especially PKC-delta, mediates extra-intracellular
calcium signaling29. He also found that electrical or me-
chanical techniques, such as iontophoresis and sonopho-
resis, which modulate the epidermal calcium gradient,
can trigger the barrier recovery processes, even without
barrier perturbation30. He also demonstrated that protease
activated receptor-2 plays an important role in regulating
skin barrier function31.
Seung Hun Lee has played a pivotal role in establishing
and developing the Korean Society for Skin Barrier
Research since 1995. In 2010, the Pan Asian Pacific Skin
Barrier Research Society was organized by skin barrier re-
searchers in the Asia-Pacific regions, and Seung Hun Lee
was elected as the first president. Human Barrier Research
Institute was established in Gangnam Severance Hospital,
which has sought to share information on the latest re-
search trends in barrier function of human body. Seung
Hun Lee has successfully led the institute organizing aca-
demic symposium encompassing fields of human barrier
as an integrated system involving skin, gastrointestinal and
respiratory system.
Bullous skin disease
A bullous disease clinic in Gangnam Severance Hospital
is the only clinic in Korea now to provide diagnosis, treat-
ment, and research for autoimmune and genetic bullous
diseases. Soo-Chan Kim introduced diagnostic methods of
immunofluorescences, immunoblotting, and immunopre-
cipitation. To date, a total of 1,211 patients with auto-
immune bullous diseases were registered in this clinic.
Soo-Chan Kim firstly reported that envoplakin is an auto-
antigen of paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP), and suggested
new diagnostic criteria of PNP by analyzing Korean pa-
tients32. Moreover, the Gangnam Severance bullous spe-
cialty clinic was the first to use rituximab in patients with
pemphigus in Korea. The group reported the efficacy, ther-
apeutic dosing, and prognosis of rituximab treatment in
these patients33.
Soo-Chan Kim has also performed indirect immuno-
fluorescence mapping and electron microscopic examina-
tion to diagnose epidermolysis bullosa (EB). To date, more
than 180 patients with epidermolysis bullosa have been
registered with the bullous disease specialty clinic. New
cases of epidermolysis bullosa were firstly identified, and
the mutations were analyzed in COL7A1 gene in the pa-
tients with dystrophic EB and KRT5 and KRT14 gene in
the patients with EB simplex in Korea34,35. The Korean
Epidermolysis Bullosa Society for patient groups was es-
tablished to support patients and their families in 2003.
Dermatologic surgery and skin cancer
The dermatologic surgery specialty clinic seeks to cure
skin cancers. It was established by Kee Yang Chung when
he started Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) after training
with Tatyana Humphreys at Thomas Jefferson University.
Since the first case in July of 2000, the total number of pa-
tients who had MMS at Yonsei Dermatology has reached
J Kim, et al
518 Ann Dermatol
Table 1. Kung Sun Oh memorial lecture and international symposium of cutaneous biology research institute
The 1st 1977. 10. 4 Theodor Nasemann, Goethe University, Germany
“Animal Viruses that Infect Man: Clinical and Laboratory Findings”
The 2nd 1978. 10. 4 Otto Braun-Falco, Munich University, Germany
“Dermatologic Aspects of Hyperlipoproteinemia”
The 3rd 1979. 9. 27 Urs W. Schnyder, Zürich University, Switzerland
“New Findings in Inherited Diseases of the Skin”
The 4th 1980. 10. 2 Harold O. Perry, Mayo Clinic, USA
“Dermatoses that Present with Cutaneous Sclerosis”
The 5th 1981. 9. 25 Atsushi Kukita, Tokyo University, Japan
“Malignant Melanoma in Japan”
The 6th 1982. 9. 21 Enno Christophers, Kiel University, Germany
“Psoriasis- A Complex Disease”
The 7th 1983. 10. 25 Ferdinand Müller, Hamburg University, Germany
“New Developments in the Immunological Understanding and Serodiagnosis of Syphilis”
The 8th 1984. 10. 4 John S. Strauss, University of Iowa, USA
“The Management of Acne Based Upon Its Pathologic Mechanism”
The 9th 1985. 10. 4 Klaus Wolff, University of Vienna, Austria
“The Clinical Spectrum of Lupus Erythematosus”
The 10th 1986. 10. 8 A. Bernard Ackerman, New York University, USA
“An Algorithmic method for Histologic Diagnosis of Inflammatory and Neoplastic Skin Diseases by Analysis
of Their Patterns”
The 11st 1987. 9. 28 J. Graham Smith, Jr., University of Georgia, USA
“Current Status of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome”
The 12nd 1988. 10. 4 Stephen I. Katz, National Institutes of Health, USA
“The Skin as an Immunologic Organ”
The 13rd 1989. 9. 28 Ruggero Caputo, University of Milan, Italy
“Histiocytic Syndromes”
The 14th 1990. 9. 27 Irwin M. Freedberg, New York University, USA
“Keratin: from Clones to Clinic”
The 15th 1991. 9. 26 Paul R. Bergstresser, University of Texas, USA
“Mechanisms of Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Inhibition of Antigen Presentation by Langerhans Cells”
The 16th 1992. 9. 25 Hideoki Ogawa, Juntendo University, Japan
“Effectiveness of PUVA Treatment in Atopic Dermatitis and Barrier Dysfunction”
The 17th 1993. 9. 23 James J. Nordlund, Cincinnati University, USA
“The Pigmentary System- An Expanded Perspective”
The 18th 1994. 9. 28 Karen A. Holbrook, University of Florida, USA
“Understanding Fetal Skin Biology as the Basis for Prenatal Diagnosis of Genetic Skin Disease”
The 19th 1995. 10. 4 Jean-Paul Ortonne, University of Nice, France
“Vitiligo- Current Knowledge-Speculation for the Future”
The 20th 1996. 9. 19 Barbara A. Gilchrest, University of Boston, USA
“Novel Approaches to Photoprotection”
The 21st 1997. 9. 24 Thomas J. Lawley, Emory University, USA
“The Role of Endothelial Cells in the Inflammation and Angiogenesis”
The 22nd 1998. 9. 22 Grant J. Anhalt, Johns Hopkins University, USA
“The Paraneoplastic Pemphigus- Insights into Autoimmunity and Cancer”
The 23rd 1999. 9. 29 Constantin E. Orfanos, Free University of Berlin, Germany
“Dermatology- New Developments and New Challenges”
The 24th 2000. 9. 22 John R. Stanley, University of Pennsylvania, USA
“The Pathophysiology of Pemphigus”
The 25th 2002. 9. 27 Gerd Plewig, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Germany
“The Many Faces of Rosacea”
The 26th 2003. 9. 25 Jeffrey P. Callen, University of Louisville, USA
“Dermatomyositis- Diagnosis, Evaluation and Management”
The 27th 2004. 9. 15 Mark C. Udey, National Cancer Institute, USA
“Immunotherapy for CTCL- Reasonable Idea or Pipe Dream?”
The 28th 2005. 9. 28 Peter M. Elias, University of California, USA
“Medical Aspects of a Dynamic Stratum Corneum Interface”
Centennial History of Yonsei Dermatology
Vol. 30, No. 5, 2018 519
Table 1. Continued
The 29th 2006. 9. 27 Jouni Uitto, Thomas Jefferson University, USA
“Heritable Connective Tissue Disorders: The Paradigms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Cutis Laxa and
Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum”
The 30th 2007. 9. 19 Xue-Jun Zhang, Anhui University, China
“Hereditary Pigmentary Disorders of Skin”
Larry N. Cook, University of Louisville, USA
“University of Louisville Health Sciences Center- Then and Now”
The 31st 2008. 9. 27 Timothy M. Johnson, University of Michigan, USA
“Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Melanoma”
The 32nd 2009. 9. 19 Thomas Bieber, Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Germany
“Atopic Dermatitis in the Emerging Era of Personalized Medicine”
The 33rd 2010. 9. 11 George Cotsarelis, University of Pennsylvania, USA
“Hair Follicle Stem Cells in Wound Healing and Skin Regeneration”
The 34th 2011. 10. 1 Jean L. Bolognia, Yale University, USA
“Melanocyte Function-Insights Gained from Disorders of Hypopigmentation”
The 35th 2012. 9. 8 Lars E. French, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland
“The NLRP3- Inflammasome in Cutaneous Pathogen-Host Interactions and
Inflammatory Skin Disease”
The 36th 2013. 9. 7 Thomas S. Kupper, Harvard University, USA
“Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma”
The 37th 2014. 8. 30 John A. McGrath, King’s College, London, United Kingdom
“Progress in Developing Cell-based Therapies for Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa”
The 38th 2015. 8. 29 Ervin H. Epstein Jr., Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, USA
“Lessons from the Clinic: Thwacking the Wild Hedgehog”
The 39th 2016. 9. 3 Richard D. Granstein, Weill Cornell Medical College, USA
“Does Stress Make My Rash Worse?”
The 40th 2017. 9. 2 Theodora Mauro, University of California, USA
“Aging and the Skin”
Amy Paller, Northwestern University, USA
“Atopic Dermatitis in Children”
2,300 to date.
In the 2000s, Min-Geol Lee led the dendritic cell-based
immunotherapy for treating advanced stages of melano-
ma, and performed investigator-initiated clinical trials to
evaluate the effect of a dendritic cell vaccine36. The clin-
ical and basic research on skin cancers have been avidly
pursued under the direction of Kee Yang Chung. Under
his guidance, the dermatologic surgery group focus on ge-
netic and clinical features of Korean skin cancer patients,
and have proposed innovative surgical techniques37. Kee
Yang Chung established multidisciplinary management of
malignant melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer.
Furthermore, Yonsei Dermatology also seeks treatments of
rare skin cancers, such as dermatofibrosarcoma protub-
erance, extra-mammary Paget’s disease38.
In 2012, Yonsei Dermatology organized the first Cutaneous
Anatomy Workshop in Severance Hospital, providing a
detailed lecture on human facial anatomy and hands-on
cadaver dissection. As a selected mentor of the interna-
tional travelling mentorship program directed by the
American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and a board
member of the Dermatologic and Aesthetic Surgery
International League, Kee Yang Chung has provided ad-
vanced dermatologic surgery training for Korean and for-
eign-trained dermatologists.
KUNG SUN OH MEMORIAL LECTURE AND
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF CUTANEOUS
BIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
The Kung Sun Oh Memorial Lecture was initiated in 1977
to commemorate late Professor Kung Sun Oh, the founder
of the first dermatology department in Korea. The memori-
al lecture marked the beginning of international academic
exchange in the field of dermatology. It was among the
early attempts to introduce Korean dermatology interna-
tionally and to absorb advanced dermatological scientific
knowledge from the global community. For the memorial
lecture, distinguished dermatologists from around the
world were invited as guest lecturers39. The first invited
speaker was Theodor Nasemann from Germany in 1977.
Since then, the memorial lecture has been hosted
annually. Yonsei Dermatology celebrated its 40th memori-
al lecture in 2017. All lecturers, who have been invited to
J Kim, et al
520 Ann Dermatol
the Kung Sun Oh Memorial Lecture are listed in Table 1.
Since 2003, the International Symposium of Cutaneous
Biology Research Institute is hosted on the same day as
the Kung Sun Oh Memorial Lecture to broaden the scien-
tific discussion by inviting more distinguished speakers
from Korea and overseas. The 15th International Symposium
was held in 2017.
Yonsei Dermatology trusts that both events have greatly
contributed to the development of modern dermatology
and medical science in Korea.
CLOSING REMARKS
Looking back on our past 100 years, Yonsei Dermatology
has achieved great clinical and academic milestones in
the history of Korean Dermatology and modern medicine
in Korea. Yonsei Dermatology looks forward to future
years, daring to lead the next generation of great minds in
the field of dermatology and cutaneous biology research.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors have nothing to disclose.
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