Overview

With the advent of large-scale data and the rapid advancement of computational performance, interdisciplinary researches on the mathematical principles of macroscopic complex systems in nature and society are actively progressing, expanding the scope of natural sciences. Professor Deok-Sun Lee has conducted theoretical research to understand the emergent phenomena of complex systems based on the perspectives and methodologies of statistical physics and complex network theory. Alongside this, he has performed quantitative modeling research based on data from various complex systems, ranging from cellular metabolism and disease networks to ecosystems and international trade networks. Through this work, he aims to establish a framework for developing effective theories that provide verifiable predictions and insights into the structure and function of complex systems. His representative achievements include research on the origins of comorbid metabolic diseases revealed through the structure of human metabolic network topology and studies on phase transitions and critical phenomena in scale-free networks. These accomplishments have earned him the Cozzarelli Prize from the National Academy of Sciences of the USA and the Yongbong Prize from the Korean Physical Society.