Joo-Youp Lee

Dr. Joo-Youp Lee is a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He has held multiple roles at UC since 2005, including Research Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor, before attaining his current rank in 2019. His industrial experience includes work as a Process Engineer at Daelim Engineering Co. Ltd. in Seoul, Korea.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of Cincinnati (2002)
• M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Sogang University, South Korea (1993)
• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Sogang University, South Korea (1991)

Research Interests:

Dr. Lee's research spans two primary domains: (1) Heterogeneous catalysis and separation for energy/environmental applications (e.g., carbon capture, mercury emission control), and (2) Nanomedicine for targeted drug/gene delivery (e.g., cancer therapeutics using nanoparticle systems). His work integrates mathematical modeling and experimental approaches to address sustainability and biomedical challenges.

Publication Trends:

Recent articles (2018–2025) reflect dual emphases: environmental catalysis (mercury oxidation, CO₂ capture) and advanced drug delivery (prodrugs, co-delivery nanoparticles). Catalysis studies focus on catalyst design for industrial emissions, while nanomedicine research prioritizes stimuli-responsive systems for oncology, particularly breast cancer therapy.

Awards:

• UC Distinguished Researcher Award (2018)
• NSF CAREER Award (2012)
• UC Master Educator Awards (2015)
• Technology Accelerator Award (2013)

Advising & Grants:

He has supervised 10+ graduate and 20+ undergraduate students. Major grants include NSF, DOE, and EPA funding (e.g., NSF CAREER Award for mercury control; DOE projects on CO₂ separation). His lab received $1M+ from Ohio agencies for carbon capture and mercury catalyst development.

Lab & Teams:

He directs the "Dr. Joo-Youp Lee's Lab" at UC, focusing on catalysis and nanomedicine. The team collaborates with institutions like Sogang University and industry partners (e.g., Yuhan Corporation for mRNA delivery systems).