Sang Yup Lee is Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Vice President for Research at KAIST, Republic of Korea. He pioneered systems metabolic engineering and developed numerous microbial strains and bioprocesses for the bio-based production of many chemicals and materials including polylactic acid, succinic acid, gasoline, diamines, various natural compounds, among others.

He is fellow of Korean Academy of Science and Technology, National Academy of Engineering Korea, American Academy of Microbiology, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, World Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Inventors, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. He is also International Member of both National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering, USA. He has served as the Chairman of the Global Future Council on Biotechnology at World Economic Forum.

He received numerous awards including National Science Medal, National Order of Merit, Samson Prime Minister's Prize, Eni Award, James Bailey Award, Marvin Johnson Award, Samsung HoAm Prize, and POSCO TJ Park Prize.