Introduction

Ready for New Aquatic Adventures

The story of the Researcher: Dr. Sung Bin Lee

Hello! I'm Dr. Sung Bin Lee, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) with a passion for marine wildlife. I earned both my Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Aquatic Biomedicine from Seoul National University College of Veterinary Medicine.

My research primarily focuses on marine mammals inhabiting Korean waters, with a particular emphasis on species like the narrow-ridged finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus). Many of these wild marine mammal species are globally endangered, yet they play a crucial role as keystone species in a researcher.

Sung Bin Lee, D.V.M., M.Sc., Ph.D.

Personal Interest

Dedicated to Aquatic Life & Conservation

Interest 01

Conservation Medicine
of Aquatic Life

Conservation Medicine of aquatic life is an interdisciplinary field that addresses the health of aquatic ecosystems, wildlife, and humans, recognizing their interconnectedness. A critical component of this field involves leveraging advanced genetic and genomic techniques, particularly DNA research, to understand and mitigate threats to aquatic species. This research provides invaluable insights into population dynamics, disease susceptibility, and adaptive potential, directly informing and enhancing conservation strategies.

Population Genetics and Demographics
Reproductive Biology and Assisted Breeding
Restoration and Reintroduction Success

Interest 02

The Effects of Disease and Marine Litter to Aquatic Life

Disease and marine litter pose significant and interconnected threats to aquatic life, impacting everything from individual organisms to entire ecosystems. Understanding these challenges is crucial for effective conservation. Research in this area delves into identifying the causative agents of diseases, developing treatment strategies, and assessing the far-reaching effects of environmental pollution on aquatic health. This integrated approach is vital for safeguarding biodiversity and maintaining healthy aquatic environments.

Pathogen Identification and Characterization
Disease Treatment and Management Strategies
Marine Litter Impacts and Environmental Pollution

Interest 03

Environmental DNA
of Aquatic Life

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has revolutionized how we study aquatic life. Instead of directly observing organisms, we can now detect their presence by sampling the genetic material they shed into the water. This non-invasive technique offers a powerful new lens for understanding aquatic ecosystems, allowing us to map species distributions, track changes influenced by climate, and even identify disease-causing agents, all from a simple water sample.

Mapping Aquatic Species Distribution
Tracking Climate Change Impacts on Species Distribution
Pathogen and Disease Agent Detection

Research History

Total Number of Published Papers

52

Total Impact Factor (IF)

190

Cited

607

The Last Update: 19 July 2025

First-authored Papers

✓ Lee SB, Kim BY, Jung WJ, Cho HS, Cho K, Kim H, Song E, Giri SS, Jo SJ, Hwang MH, Park JH. Distribution analysis of the finless porpoises (Neophocaena sp.) and oceanic dolphins (Delphinidae) in the Korean Sea using environmental DNA. PloS one. 2025 May 16;20(5):e0322148.
✓ Ko HJ, Lee SB, Kim KH, Jeon SY, Jung JY, Choi YM, Park SC. Microbothriid (Monogenean) Infection and Treatment in Captive Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus). Microorganisms. 2024 Dec 12;12(12):2558.
✓ Lee SB, Lee KL, Kim SW, Jung WJ, Park DS, Lee S, Giri SS, Kim SG, Jo SJ, Park JH, Hwang MH. Novel Gammaherpesvirus Infections in Narrow-Ridged Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) and False Killer Whales (Pseudorca crassidens) in the Republic of Korea. Viruses. 2024 Jul 31;16(8):1234.
✓ Yuen AH, Lee SB, Kim S, Jung WJ, Kim DG, Kim SW, Lee YM, Park D, Cho HS, Poon CT, Kim SG. Ingestion of fishing gear and Anisakis sp. infection in a beached Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) in the Jeju Island, Republic of Korea: findings from post-mortem computed tomography and necropsy. BMC Veterinary Research. 2024 May 27;20(1):232.
✓ Lee SB, Yuen AH, Lee YM, Kim SW, Kim S, Poon CT, Jung WJ, Giri SS, Kim SG, Jo SJ, Park JH. Adhesive bowel obstruction (ABO) in a stranded narrow-ridged finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri). Animals. 2023 Dec 6;13(24):3767.
✓ Kim SG, Lee SB, Jo SJ, Cho K, Park JK, Kwon J, Giri SS, Kim SW, Kang JW, Jung WJ, Lee YM. Phage cocktail in combination with kasugamycin as a potential treatment for fire blight caused by Erwinia amylovora. Antibiotics. 2022 Nov 6;11(11):1566.
✓ Kim SG, Lee SB, Giri SS, Kim HJ, Kim SW, Kwon J, Park J, Roh E, Park SC. Characterization of novel Erwinia amylovora jumbo bacteriophages from Eneladusvirus genus. Viruses. 2020 Nov 30;12(12):1373.

Research Project

PI Project

No PI project yet.

Participating research project

- A study on the identification of the habitat of narrow-ridged finless porpoise in Jeju coastal water and their biological and genetic characteristics (PI: Prof. Se Chang Park, Lab of Aquatic Biomedicine, Seoul National University / the National Research Foundation of Korea grant number NRF2022R1A2C100811412): 2022-present
- Analysis of marine mammal mortality causes at Jeju region (PI: Prof. Byung Yeop Kim, Department of Marine Industry and Maritime Police, College of Ocean Science, Jeju National University): 2022
- A pilot necropsy study of Jeju marine protected species: narrow-ridged finless porpoise at Jeju region (PI: Prof. Byung Yeop Kim, Department of Marine Industry and Maritime Police, College of Ocean Science, Jeju National University): 2021