[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] Kim Jae-ho, a professor in the Department of Neurology at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, has been selected for the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW)-run and Korea Health Industry Development Institute-supported "2026 Global Physician-Scientist Training Program (Advanced)" with his project, "Research on transcranial low-intensity ultrasound-based treatment technology for normal pressure hydrocephalus."
The project will receive a total of 1.35 billion won in research funding over five years starting in July 2026. Since 2019, MOHW has supported basic and convergent research through the Global Physician-Scientist Training Program to address unmet medical needs and overcome intractable diseases.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a degenerative disease in which the ventricles expand as cerebrospinal fluid increases, while the pressure of the fluid remains within the normal range. It mainly causes gait disturbance, cognitive decline and urinary dysfunction. About 2% of people aged 70 and older are affected, making it a disease of growing attention in South Korea as the country enters a super-aged society. The current standard treatment is surgery to implant a cerebrospinal fluid drainage device, or shunt, but surgery is difficult for elderly patients or those with heart disease, leaving them with virtually no clear alternative.
In this study, Kim's team will test a new treatment strategy that regulates cerebrospinal fluid-glymphatic circulation using transcranial low-intensity ultrasound. By delivering low-intensity ultrasound directly to the brain through the scalp, the team aims to improve fluid flow inside the brain without surgery and relieve key symptoms such as gait disturbance.
Han Seong-woo, president of Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, said, "This project selection is highly meaningful because it shows that the hospital will play an important role in seeking new treatment solutions for patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition that is becoming more common in a super-aged society."
Kim said, "I want to provide practical help to patients who have difficulty undergoing surgery because of old age or other reasons." He added, "Through this study, I hope to scientifically verify a new treatment mechanism that regulates cerebrospinal fluid circulation and build a foundation for broader applications in treating not only normal pressure hydrocephalus but also related neurological diseases."
Meanwhile, drawing on his extensive clinical and research experience in dementia treatment and low-intensity ultrasound technology, Kim is currently leading projects supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST). He is also active as research director of the Korean Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound, information director of the Korean Society of Cognitive Intervention Therapy, and academic secretary of the Korean Dementia Association.
Jang Jong-ho, Sportschosun, bellho@sportschosun.com
