Professor Kang Kwanhyeong of the Department of Mechanical Engineering died at Pohang Stroke and Spine Hospital on Oct.1 at the age of 44. The cause was brain tumor.
Prof. Kang was among the first matriculating class (1987) of POSTECH, and had earned M.S. and Ph.D. at POSTECH before becoming a professor of mechanical engineering in 2005. Prof. Kang presented his research, which received a lot of attention from academia, while undergoing cancer treatment and surgery since 2006, when his malignant brain tumor was found. This February, he developed the world’s first technology that can diagnose diseases and aging by only one drop of blood on a penny-size chip. Last December, he also developed ways to improve ability of hand-control of endobot, and in 2010, he developed a portable seawater desalination machine with an MIT research team. All fruitful outcomes were realized during his fight against the tumor.
“As I saturated myself in only research, I didn’t realize the pain for those who are suffering from diseases,” said Prof. Kang while combating cancer, and he donated his eyes after his death.