Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital

In collaboration with Uppsala University of Sweden, Hallym University Medical Center (HUMC) hosted the '1st Hallym-Uppsala International Symposium' at Lotte Hotel World on October 9, 2008. Under the theme of 'Current Issues in Medicine and Surgery: From Bench to Bedside,' the symposium covered a variety of issues form basic to clinical areas consisted of four sessions: population based cohort studies; Advances in management of head and neck cancer; updates on diabetes mellitus; neurodegenerative diseases. Among the 250 participants of the symposium included such Swedish dignitaries as President Anders Hallberg, Mrs. Gunilla Hallberg, Dr. Kjell Oberg, Former dean of the faculty of medicine, Uppsala University, four Swedish speakers and Minister Ulf Sormark, the Embassy of Sweden in Korea.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. Hae-Ran Lee, HUMC president, noted, "Today we are gathered here in Seoul to begin our joint scientific alliance to discuss issues such as an epidemiological analysis of chronic diseases including diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, head and neck cancer and a proton beam therapy. I expect all the participants here to share the knowledge of many prominent professors' knowledge and their expertise through lectures and lively discussion."
President Hallberg, heading the Swedish delegation, responded by honoring the efforts of Hallym for establishing fresh ties with Uppsala, and hoping that future relations between the two institutions would be productive and rewarding.

Dr. Dai-Won Yoon, Chairman of the Ilsong Educational Foundation, delivered congratulatory remarks followed by President Lee. He stated, "At this important moment in the history of Hallym, I feel really convinced that our cooperation with your esteemed institution of Uppsala will surely bring great courage and hope to us in the days to come. I understand that the first joint symposium today will serve as an excellent venue for presentations and exchange of ideas on a variety of subjects that will deeply affect and shape our future world."

The conference consisted of the following four sessions:

Session 1: Population Based Cohort Studies

• Design and Characteristics of Korean Health Examinee Study (KOEX)
  by Dr. Dong-Hyun Kim, Hallym University
• Hallym Aging Study(HAS): Longitudinal Study of Quality of Life among Elderly in Korea
  by Dr. Kyung-Soon Hong, Hallym University
• Cardiovascular Epidemiology Using Two Uppsala Cohort Studies
  by Dr. Lars Lind, Uppsala University

Session 2: Advances in Management of Head and Neck Cancer

• Tailored Surgical Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer
  by Dr. Young-Soo Rho, Hallym University
• Head and Neck Reconstruction: HUMC Experience
  by Dr. Chul-Hoon Chung, Hallym University
• Proton Beam Radiotherapy of Tumors at the Base of the Skull and ENT-Region
  by Dr. Erik Blomquist, Uppsala University

Session 3: Updates on Diabetes Mellitus

• Diabetic Heart Disease: Pathogenesis and Clinical Evidences
  by Dr. Eun-Gyoung Hong, Hallym University
• Gene Transfection Strategy for Islet Transplantation
  by Dr. Byung-Wan Lee, Hallym University
• Engraftment of Transplanted Pancreatic Islets
  by Dr. Per-Ola Carlsson, Uppsala Univeristy

Session 4: Neurodegenerative Diseases

• Genetic of Parkinson's Disease in Korea
  by Yun Joong Kim, Hallym University
• REM Sleep Behavioral Disorders as a Preclinical Status of Neurodegenerative Disease
  by Hyeo-Il Ma, Hallym University
• Genetic and Clinical Aspects on Alzheimer's Disease: Towards New Type of Immunotherapy
  by Lars Lannfelt, Uppsala Univeristy

The meeting finished with closing remarks by Dr. Moon-Gi Choi, Dean of College of Medicine, Hallym University. "Throughout the meeting, we have been dealing only with four topics for a starter today, but our first symposium, I do hope, will surely serve as a solid, excellent springboard for a lively exchange of opinions and joint academic research in a variety of areas in the future. Taking this occasion, I promise here and now that Hallym pledges itself to do its level best to make our bilateral cooperative programs with Uppsala including exchanges of scientific information and human resources as smooth-going and rewarding as possible," he said.

By Seung-Kyu Oh, Int'l Operations Team, HUMC