FOUNDER & RESEARCH TEAM

Founder and research team

A CEO with more than forty years in fermentation and microbial research, working with a team of specialists across each field.

Dr. Young-Chul Joo, CEO of Vicell, working in the laboratory

Hello. I am Young-Chul Joo, CEO of Vicell.

Building on more than forty years of expertise in fermentation and microbial research, Vicell helps people recover and maintain their health so that each of them can live their own life fully.

We are also building a foundation where, through a balance of physical and mental health, each person can live as a healthy member of society with a sense of stability and worth.

By contributing to the prevention of disease and to the realization of healthy lives, we will be a company that walks with more people on the journey to complete their own purpose and happiness.

Dr. Young-Chul Joo CEO of Vicell, Professional Engineer in Food Technology

CEO profile

Education and qualifications, research and lecturing, and development achievements.

Education and core qualifications

B.S. in Food Engineering, Seoul National University
M.S. and Ph.D. in Dairy Science and Dairy Microbiology, Graduate School of Seoul National University
National technical qualification: Professional Engineer in Food Technology, the highest qualification in the food field
Other qualifications: Food Engineer Level 1, Environmental Water Quality Engineer Level 1

Career highlights

Director of the Technology Research Institute, Haitai Dairy Co., Ltd. (from 1982, twenty years of service)

Leadership in food development and microbial research

Commissioned researcher, Fermented Food Research Team, Korea Food Research Institute (Research Director, 2002 to 2003)
Former board member, Korea Professional Engineers Association for Food Technology
Former board member, Korea Dairy Processing Research Association

Academic activity and lecturing

University lecturing: Konkuk University, Hankyong National University, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Dongnam Health University, Suwon Women's University and others
Main subjects: dairy processing, microbiology, fermentation engineering
Government and institutional training: invited lecturer for the basic agricultural processing course at the Sejong City Agricultural Technology Center (2024 to 2026), covering food fundamentals, characteristics of processed food ingredients, and the types and applications of food processing

Awards

Commissioner of the Venture Business Administration Award (2023, venture company)

Representative research and development achievements

Key products developed

Leading Korean beverages: participated in and invented the national probiotic drinks Coolpis and Skol
Pioneering vegan and alternative foods: vegan yogurt, vegan cheese and rice yogurt
Bio and healthcare materials: gut function health foods for constipation and diarrhea care (Yogo Yogo and others), anti obesity probiotics, bone growth support products, fermented enzymes, new antibacterial and antiviral materials, and fermented red ginseng (patented)

Selected academic papers

Doctoral thesis: a study on the characteristics of fermented milk co-cultured with lactic acid bacteria and yeast isolated from kefir (2003)
Master's thesis: a study on milk protein hydrolysis and stability in fermented milk by lactic acid bacteria (1987)
A study on the characteristics of kefir grains collected in Korea (2003, Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources)
The effect of drinking Yogo Yogo on constipation symptoms (1997, Recent Medicine, during tenure at Haitai Dairy)

Research team

Specialists in fermented milk, microbiology, fermented foods and product planning develop each project together.

Cha Kwang-jong

Dr.

Fermented milk specialist

Education: Ph.D. in Agriculture (dairy products), Konkuk University. Food Manufacturing Engineer Level 1
Core strengths: Development and manufacturing of fermented milk, cheese and red ginseng
Career: Adjunct professor at Shin Ansan University. Lecturer at Konkuk University, Ansan College of Technology and Joongbu University

Bae Hyung-seok

Dr.

Microbiology and feed research specialist

Education: B.S. in Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University. Ph.D. in Animal Science, Chung-Ang University
Career: Head of a corporate research laboratory. Research in livestock, fermented milk and stem cells, with 11 papers beyond probiotics
Core strengths: Fermented milk development, functional foods, feed development

Song Myung-wook

Dr.

Fermented food research specialist

Education: Ph.D. in Animal Food Biotechnology, Konkuk University
Core strengths: Development of fermented foods using probiotics
Career: Academic papers, patents and participation in many national research projects

Ju Ye-jin

Executive Director

Food planning and convergence specialist

Education: B.A. in Painting, Gachon University. Certified Agri-food Business Management Manager
Core strengths: Over ten years of comprehensive planning for food and vegan food
Career: Participation in more than ten R&D projects. First place in Wadiz vegan yogurt funding
Awards: Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Award and others

Talk to us about custom development

Our research team reviews ingredients, strains and formulation design with you.