Stem Cell R&D in Korea: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow — A Paradigm Shift from Therapeutics to Bio-Platforms

The year 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Korean Society for Stem Cell Research (KSSCR), a meaningful milestone highlighting two decades of national progress in stem cell R&D. Established in 2005, KSSCR has served as the central pillar of Korean stem cell research for two decades. The policy session at the 2025 annual conference became a special occasion beyond academic discussion, reflecting on achievements and exploring future directions for Korea’s stem cell R&D.

Korea’s Stem Cell R&D Journey and Current Status

Korea’s stem cell R&D journey began earnestly in 2002 with the “Cell Application Program” launch (1). The 2004∼2006 Hwang Woo Suk scandal (2) became a pivotal moment, catalyzing the establishment of the “Bioethics and Safety Act” (3) and the 2006 “Comprehensive Plan for Promoting Stem Cell Research” (4) for systematic recovery. This resilience paid off when Korea achieved the world’s first stem cell therapeutic approval with Hearticellgram-AMI (Pharmicell) in 2011 (5), validating the nation’s approach. The regulatory framework matured with the 2019 “Advanced Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Biopharmaceuticals Safety and Support Act” (6), and the 2021 launch of “Korean Fund for Regenerative Medicine” (7) demonstrates commitment to global leadership in regenerative medicine.

As shown in Fig. 1, although Korea has made substantial progress through sustained government investment (187.4 billion KRW in 2023) and researchers’ dedication over the past two decades, several technology indicators—including publication output, technology level, and the gap relative to leading countries—have plateaued or shown only modest improvement in recent years. It is now time to seek a new turning point in stem cell R&D strategy.

Fig. 1.

Performance trends in Korea’s stem cell R&D. Data were collected from multiple sources. Investment data: National Science and Technology Information Service, stem cell-related projects. Publications and patents: Dimensions database, keyword “stem cell*” in titles and abstracts. Technology level and gap: Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning Technology Level Evaluation reports. Product approvals: Basic Plan for Advanced Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Biopharmaceuticals (2021∼2025) and recent reports. *RCR: relative citation ratio, a measure of scientific influence normalized to field and year.

Future Outlook and Policy Recommendations

MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Technology Review listed “effective stem cell therapy” among its 10 Breakthrough Technologies 2025 (8), while CB Insights identified brain organoid-based biocomputing as a game-changing innovation (9). The role of stem cells is expanding far beyond traditional regenerative medicine. There is a growing need to expand the possibilities of stem cells as a biotechnology platform. The inherent characteristics of stem cells—such as differentiation, self-renewal, and homing ability—can be translated into programmability, scalability, and compatibility, forming the basis of a platform concept. Just as smartphones advanced from simple communication tools into multifunctional ecosystems, stem cells should likewise be viewed as a platform enabling diverse bio-applications beyond regenerative medicine, including pharmaceuticals, clinical trials, food, and computing (10, 11).

As illustrated in Fig. 2, to fully realize the potential of stem cells—not merely as therapeutics but as a platform for diverse bio-applications—we propose launching a flagship project titled “Stem Cell Bio-App: Pioneering the Future Platform.” Through this initiative, stem cell-based innovations could generate new value across multiple domains—including regenerative medicine, pharmaceuticals, clinical practice, food, and computing—and lay the groundwork for global leadership in the emerging bioeconomy.

Fig. 2.

Stem cell bio-app platform: expanding applications beyond regenerative medicine.