DaeYong Lee

DaeYong Lee, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research is centered in the Cancer Research Center – Roanoke, where he leads the Lee Lab focused on developing novel biomaterials to enhance cancer immunotherapy.

Research Interests: Dr. Lee's work lies at the intersection of biomedical engineering, immunology, and materials science. He develops synthetic biomaterials—particularly cationic helical polypeptides and nanobioconjugates—to re-educate immune cells within tumor microenvironments, overcoming immune exhaustion and enhancing antitumor responses. His research emphasizes translational approaches to improve the accessibility and affordability of immunotherapies, with a current focus on breast cancer.

Recent Research Trends: His recent publications in top journals like Nature Biomedical Engineering and Nature Nanotechnology highlight a strong trajectory in engineering nanomaterials with tunable physical properties for immune modulation, understanding age-related disparities in nanotherapeutic efficacy, and designing biomaterials that activate innate immunity. These works reflect a cohesive focus on making immunotherapies more universal and effective across diverse patient populations.

• Poster presentation award, Leading Edge of Cancer Research Symposium, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023
• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-Sygnature Discovery Scholar-in-Training Award, 2023
• Top 5 Research Achievement in the Field of Biotechnology in South Korea, BRIC, 2019
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Research Foundation in Korea, 2018-2019
• Poster presentation award, The Korean Society for Biomaterials, 2014

Advising and Grants: As a new faculty member supported by the Red Gates Foundation through the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Dr. Lee is building his research team and lab infrastructure. While student advisees are not yet listed, he is expected to mentor graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in interdisciplinary cancer research. His work builds on strong foundational training and has already attracted recognition from major cancer research organizations.

Labs and Teams: Dr. Lee leads the Lee Lab at the Cancer Research Center – Roanoke, part of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. His team collaborates across disciplines to engineer next-generation immunotherapeutics, leveraging Virginia Tech’s state-of-the-art facilities and collaborative environment.