Professor Kim Hye-won honored for skin disease research and patents

Professor Kim Hye-won of Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital has received a commendation from the South Korean Minister of Health and Welfare at the 9th Intellectual Property Day ceremony. The award recognizes her contributions to developing diagnostic and treatment technologies for intractable skin diseases and creating intellectual property.

Professor Kim has led research to standardize the diagnosis of sensitive skin, which previously lacked clear criteria. Her team developed a ‘sensitive skin diagnostic platform’ that uses physiological and immunological indicators to quantitatively evaluate patient conditions. This research was also selected as one of the ‘Top 30 Excellent Health and Medical R&D Achievements’ by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute.

Beyond academic research, Professor Kim has focused on translating clinical findings into industrial applications. By consulting for the cosmetics industry for over a decade, she has secured multiple patents that address real-world needs in skin care. To further support patients, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital established the ‘Intractable Pruritus Center’ under her leadership to provide multidisciplinary, customized treatments for chronic itching.