Recent research by Professor Seung-Jae Lee of the Division of IT Convergence Engineering has shown that every kind of sugar may decrease life span directly, not only by causing obesity and diabetes. Prof. Lee examined the mechanism by which glucose reduces life span by preventing transportation of glycerol using Caenorhabditis elegans, a species of soil-living nematode which eats bacteria, with Prof. Cynthia Kenyon of the University of California, San Francisco. This achievement is introduced as the featured article in Cell Metabolism, sister journal of Cell.

The insulin signaling system of C. elegans is similar to that of human beings, and diverse applications on mammals including human beings can be studied using it. Furthermore, current research is expected to contribute greatly to developing diabetes treatment which prevents glucose synthesis in body. Prof. Lee plans to continue his research of seeking new genes which control aging using C. elegans, with the support of the World Class University project.