You-Yeon Won is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University's Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, part of the College of Engineering. He leads the Won Laboratory, focusing on polymer science and preclinical proof-of-concept research for polymeric nanomaterials with clinical applications. His work spans three main areas: polymer lung surfactants for respiratory distress syndrome, radioluminescence therapy for cancer radiotherapy, and sequence-controlled PLGA copolymers for drug delivery. Education: B.S. (Summa Cum Laude) from Seoul National University (1992), Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota (2000), followed by postdoctoral work at MIT and Harvard. Joined Purdue in 2003. Research Interests: The lab emphasizes translational research with societal impact, including nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems, polymer-based lung surfactants, and radiation-enhanced therapies. Key advancements include micelleplexes for gene delivery and the development of Polymer Lung Surfactants (PLS) for neonatal care. Awards: Over 20 honors including Most Impactful Faculty Innovator (Purdue, 2020/2023), ACS PRF New Directions Award, and recognition as a KIChE-US Outstanding Young Investigator (2007). His work has led to multiple patents in nanomedicine and drug delivery. Advising & Grants: Mentors graduate students (e.g., Daniel Fesenmeier, Dhushyanth Viswanath) and collaborates with industry and academic partners. Active in entrepreneurship through Purdue's Burton D. Morgan Center. Labs & Teams: The Won Lab includes researchers from undergraduate to visiting faculty levels, with ongoing projects in block copolymer engineering and nanotheranostics. Collaborates with institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Seoul National University.







