Arirang TV’s ‘Vibe in Action’ episode 6 drops on May 15 at 7 PM! Hosts Ahn Hyun-mo and Peter Bint sit down with guest Koo Bon-kyung, the Director of the Genome Editing Research Center at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), to discuss bio-tech designed by AI and quantum computing.
This is the second part of the “Bio Series,” a global science talk show exploring the core future industries of South Korea.
After exploring the future of AI and quantum-designed bio last week, episode 6 focuses on the innovative technology of “Organoids,” which allows for the creation of artificial organs in the lab.
Guest Koo Bon-kyung defines organoids as “organ mimics” created by culturing stem cells to mirror the structure and function of actual organs. She introduces the process of implementing complex human organs like the brain, liver, stomach, and heart right inside a laboratory.
Watching the process, MC Ahn Hyun-mo remarked, “It feels like telling the cells, ‘You become a brain’ or ‘You become a lung’.” Panelist Peter Bint was equally amazed, saying, “It’s like a sci-fi movie unfolding right before my eyes.”
The show highlights the medical revolution organoids could bring. Because they can test new drugs and identify disease causes in environments similar to human organs, they are rapidly emerging as the next-generation research platform to replace animal testing.
Director Koo explained that organoids could expand beyond disease research into pandemic response and animal studies. The episode also showcases the possibilities of bio-tech through “organ-on-a-chip” technology and research using brain organoids.
The conversation also touches on the “hot potato” of ethical issues. Regarding concerns like transplanting human brain organoids into animals, Director Koo shared that “laws and ethical discussions must evolve alongside the speed of science.”
MC Ahn Hyun-mo even imagined a wild future, wondering, “Maybe one day we’ll be able to gift our parents ‘new lungs made of organoids’ for their birthdays.”
Witness how tiny cells in a lab are designing the future of medicine! The second part of the Bio Series, “Organoids,” will be released on Friday, May 15, at 7 PM via Arirang TV’s official YouTube channel. The main broadcast will air a week later on Friday at 9 AM on Arirang TV.
Stay tuned for the next episode, which will explore future medical technology with the theme “Robot Doctor Inside the Body.”
