The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) is organizing the IBS-KAI Conference from July 12th to 14th at the Hotel ICC Daejeon. The conference will be focusing on the area of viral diseases and immunology, and international experts in the field of viral diseases and immunology will be joining this event.

Since 2013, IBS has been hosting the IBS Conference to strengthen global research collaboration and networking among researchers. The conference brings together world-renowned scholars in various fields and influential speakers from the scientific community to share the latest research trends, engage in in-depth academic discussions, and promote research collaboration.

The 48th IBS Conference, jointly organized by IBS Korea Virus Research Institute (Managing Director CHOI Young-Ki), the Center for Viral Immunology (Director SHIN Eui-Cheol), and the Korean Association of Immunologists (KAI, President JEON Chang-Duk), will be held as the “IBS-KAI Conference on Infection and Immunity.”

The conference will feature esteemed scholars, including Rafi AHMED, a professor at Emory University, Mark DAVIS, a professor at Stanford University, Director KOH Gou Young of the IBS Center for Vascular Research, and others including those who are members of the US National Academy of Sciences. Overall, more than 20 scholars in the field of viral immunology will participate as speakers to share their research findings. The conference will focus on T cell immune responses, harnessing them to develop vaccines to prevent severe viral infections, as well as immunotherapeutic agents to enhance anti-tumor immune responses.

He also made pioneering achievements in lymphatic vessel-related research, including the characteristics of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels during tumor growth and lymph node metastasis, the maintenance of Schlemm's canal (lymphatic vessels around the cornea), and the causes of glaucoma.

While COVID-19 has become endemic, the conference will provide an opportunity to plan international collaborative research and share research outcomes on immune responses and their mechanisms in various viral infectious diseases, thereby preparing us to effectively respond to future pandemics.

Director SHIN Eui-Cheol of the Center for Viral Immunology stated, “After the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns regarding possible newly emerging infectious diseases with pandemic potentials, such as 'Disease X,' have increased,” adding, “This conference will serve as a platform for world-renowned scholars to prepare for responses to future infectious diseases.”

Detailed information about the conference can be found on the IBS-KAI Conference website (https://www.ibs-conference.org/2023/kai/).

The recipient was selected based not only on research and development achievements but also on their contributions to the economic development of Korea and the improvement of people's lives, among other factors. So far, a total of 46 individuals, including this year's recipients, have received the award.

The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to present the presidential certificate and a prize of 300 million won to the recipient at the opening ceremony of the 1st World Korean Scientists and Technologists Convention, which will be held at the Korea Science and Technology Convention Center on July 5th (Wednesday).

The convention is the largest gathering of Korean scientists and technologists worldwide. It is hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and organized by the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Society in addition to 19 different Korean expat scientists and technologists associations. The ceremony will take place from July 4th (Tuesday) to July 7th (Friday) at the Korea Science and Technology Convention Center.