Miracell showcases breakthrough stem cell treatment for hair loss
South Korean stem cell research company Miracell announced Thursday that it recently hosted a session showcasing advanced hair loss treatments using stem cell technology, addressing the growing number of Koreans affected by the condition.
The event, part of Miracell's Cellpia Global Platform Academy, provided medical professionals with insights into cutting-edge stem cell therapies. Since its launch in 2019, the academy has served as a hub for sharing breakthroughs in regenerative medicine through regular training and networking opportunities with hospitals in Korea and abroad.
Dr. Park Hyun-gul, director of Parkforet Clinic, led the session with a lecture on the practical applications of stem cell-based hair loss treatments in everyday clinical settings.
'Growth factors and stem cells play a key role in treating hair loss,' Dr. Park explained. 'We've seen remarkable success, particularly in cases like alopecia areata, which often doesn't respond to conventional therapies.'
The session also featured a live demonstration at the Cellpia Clinic, where Dr. Park treated a man in his 50s with severe hair loss. Using Miracell's Smart M-CELL system, blood stem cells were extracted, concentrated and injected into the patient's scalp to promote hair growth.
With an estimated 10 million people in Korea affected by hair loss, the live demonstration drew strong interest from attendees, the company said.
Miracell emphasized that stem cell treatments not only encourage hair regrowth but also enhance the effectiveness of existing drug therapies, offering a more comprehensive approach to hair loss treatment.
'We are committed to advancing regenerative medicine and providing innovative, accessible solutions for individuals struggling with hair loss,' a Miracell official said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
3 hours ago
- Korea Herald
South Korea explores AI grading to support shift to written-response assessments
South Korea is taking steps to bring artificial intelligence into one of the world's most competitive education systems, with plans to eventually apply AI grading technology to its high-stakes national university entrance exam, Suneung. The Ministry of Education revealed its vision during a recent closed-door policy briefing to the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning. According to local news outlet Newsis on Friday, officials outlined a long-term roadmap to introduce AI-based evaluation methods across the education system, including for the Suneung, which is taken by nearly half a million students each year. The ministry's plan begins with applying AI to grade written-response assessments in school settings. These include descriptive answers and essay-type questions, which South Korean educators have been gradually planning to expand in place of traditional multiple-choice formats. The Ministry stated it will review the impact of AI grading in classrooms before considering its application to Suneung. Although AI will not be used in the national exam anytime soon, the direction is clear. The ministry said it is aiming for a system that strengthens students' critical thinking and creativity without increasing teachers' workloads or fueling disputes over grading fairness. AI is expected to help by standardizing scores on subjective responses, which many educators say are hard to grade consistently. In South Korea's fiercely competitive education environment, where even small score differences can determine a student's future, public trust in grading fairness is critical. As part of its long-term goals, the ministry is also considering an AI-powered question-generation and validation system for Suneung. This would help ensure that questions are original and sufficiently distinct from one another, reducing errors and improving test quality. The policy builds on an earlier reform announced in 2023, when the ministry confirmed that from 2028, high school exams would increasingly move away from multiple-choice questions toward problem-solving and reasoning-based formats. South Korea is known to be the only OECD member country that relies exclusively on multiple-choice questions in its high-stakes national exams for high school graduation and university entrance. Meanwhile, the first pilot program using AI grading will launch this July in Gyeonggi Province. The regional education office there plans to test the system on first-year middle and high school students in Korean language, social studies, and science classes.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Alarmingly high sodium levels found in naengmyeon meal kits
Naengmyeon, or cold noodles, is one of the most popular dishes in Korea, especially in summer, but a government-affiliated agency warned Thursday that prepackaged naengmyeon products contain sodium levels far exceeding the recommended amount per meal. Nine out of 10 prepackaged products sold in the domestic market that were examined by the Korea Consumer Agency were found to have sodium levels exceeding half of the World Health Organization's recommended daily intake of less than 2,000 milligrams. Several of them had close to the 2,000 milligram threshold in a single package, including No Brand's mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in chilled broth) at 1,833 milligrams. One -- mul naengmyeon product from Chil Kab Farm Products -- had 2,969 milligrams. Pulmuone's bibim naengmyeon (cold noodles with spicy sauce) product was the only one that had less than 50 percent of the daily sodium intake, at 803 milligrams. On average, the sodium levels of five mul naengmyeon products were higher than those of bibim naengmyeon products, 1,999 to 1,270. The study found that most of the sodium came from the broth of mul naengmyeon and the spicy sauce in bibim naengmyeon. A total of 1,666 milligrams of sodium was found in the watery broth, challenging the conventional belief that it is the milder option. Sauce for bibim naengmyeon, which includes red pepper paste, sugar, vinegar and other ingredients, had 837 milligrams of sodium on average. But the noodles themselves, in both types of dishes, had fairly-low levels of sodium at 333 milligrams for mul naengmyeon and 433 milligrams for bibim naengmyeon. Although an average serving of naengmyeon provides 23-29 percent of the recommended daily calorie intake, a KCA survey of 1,000 people showed that many Koreans eat more than one serving per meal. In the survey, 50 percent said they eat a single serving per meal while 47 percent said they eat two, and 3 percent said they eat three or more. This would lead to excessive intake of calories and sodium in a single meal, and unbalanced nutrition since naengmyeon dishes consist mostly of carbohydrates. Researchers recommended that instead of filling up on an excessive amount of noodles, consumers should try to balance their meals by adding eggs, meat or cucumber slices, which are common toppings for naengmyeon.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
S. Korea suffers OECD's 4th-biggest AI brain drain
South Korea, despite being a leading producer of educated professionals in artificial intelligence and science, is rapidly losing talent to countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan and Germany, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Korea Chamber of Commerce's Sustainable Growth Initiative. In 2024, South Korea recorded a net loss of 0.36 AI experts per 10,000 people. That puts it near the bottom of the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, at 35th place. Luxembourg, by comparison, gained 8.92 persons per 10,000 people. Germany gained 2.34 and the US 1.07. This measure subtracts the number of local professionals leaving the country from those coming in. In Korea's case, the gap is growing wider every year. This trend marks a reversal from what had been a modest but positive inflow of AI talent into South Korea. Just five years ago, in 2020, the country recorded a net gain. That has since shifted to a steady and worsening outflow. The broader science sector tells a similar story. In 2021, Korea's rate of scientists moving abroad (2.85 percent) was higher than the rate of foreign scientists moving in (2.64 percent). This placed Korea 33rd out of 43 countries in terms of scientific talent retention. The US is the top attractive destination for Korean researchers. The US issued 5,684 high-skilled EB-1 and EB-2 visas to Korean nationals in 2023. That is roughly 11 per 100,000 people, a far higher rate than China (0.94), Japan (0.86) and even India (1.44). And 71.1 percent of Korean Ph.D. graduates in the US reported plans to stay there long-term, a rise from the previous five years, when it had stayed below 70 percent. The SGI report identifies several structural issues behind the exodus. Chief among them is Korea's rigid and hierarchical workplace culture, which many young professionals find stifling. Compensation is also a major issue. The median starting salary for assistant professors in Korea is about $32,000 a year. In the US, it's over 83,000. Countries like Japan ($46,000) and Germany ($70,000) also pay significantly more. In addition, the report posits that Korea's 52-hour workweek cap, though intended to protect workers, often limits the flexibility that high-performing researchers need. Other countries make exceptions. The US, for instance, exempts many high-earning professionals from strict working hours regulations. Japan and Germany also allow special provisions for researchers in advanced fields. With Korea's working-age population shrinking and the research workforce projected to decline by over 20 percent by 2040, the report warns that the country faces a future where it trains the world's talent but struggles to keep enough of it to sustain its own growth. SGI recommends sweeping policy changes, including performance-based pay, flexible work arrangements for high-skilled professionals, and structured incentives for overseas Koreans to return. 'We're watching the foundation of Korea's scientific future quietly erode,' said SGI researcher Kim Cheon-goo. 'And we are helping build it elsewhere.'
