Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital

The 3rd Hallym-Uppsala International Symposium organized jointly by Hallym University Medical Center (HUMC) and Uppsala University of Sweden took place at the Grand Ballroom of the COEX in Seoul on May 4. Under the theme, 'Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine,'medical professionals of both institutions exchanged views on biological artificial skin for burns, artificial bone and cartilage, and dental implant.

A total of 340 participants from universities, hospitals, clinics, private and state-run research institutes attended the meeting. Among the Uppsala dignitaries at the symposium included Uppsala President Anders Hallberg, Dr. Kjell Oberg, former dean of the faculty of medicine, Dr. Bengt G. Gerdin, Professor & Head Consultant of the Burn Center, Dept. of Plastic Surgery, and Dr. Sune Larsson, Professor & Consultant, orthopedic Surgery, Director of Research.

President Hallberg spoke on "Fast Chemistry to Peptidomimetics" after Session I. On May 3, he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Chung Un-Chan. His visit to the prime minister was joined by Dr. Dai-won Yoon, Chairman of the Ilsong Educational Foundation, and President Young-Sun Lee of Hallym University. The Uppsala president who is also Professor in Medicinal Chemistry has been playing a crucial role in building the bilateral relationship with Hallym over the last three years.

"To adapt ourselves to the rapidly changing global medical environment in the process of globalization, Hallym initiated the Mighty Hallym Drive in 2002, reaching an affiliation agreement with Columbia University which was followed by global partnerships with Weill Cornell Medical College, George Washington University Medical Center of the U.S., Nagasaki University, Nagoya City University, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, and Tokai University Hospital in Japan, and Jilin University in China. With these efforts, Hallym has been able to live up to global standards by drastically enhancing its overall medical services, Dr. Hae-Ran Lee, HUMC president, explained in her opening address.

"Such achievements has led Hallym to establish a new relationship with the world-renowned European institution famous for translational medical research. Uppsala University, as Hallym's first European partner and a mentor, has played a crucial role in helping expediting our globalization process," she stressed.

President Hallberg responded by saying, "It is true Uppsala has a long history but our future is far more important than the past. We need to upgrade our quality drastically. Our strategic alliances with the universities of the world including Hallym will be made beneficial to all."

President Young-Sun Lee, Hallym University, congratulated the opening of the symposium by saying, "Today's symposium is all the more significant and timely as its Medical Center has recently taken a big step forward by declaring a fresh global vision, 'The 3rd Mighty Hallym Initiative 2012-2015,' to bring change and innovation. With Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital and a translational research center being established in 2012 and 2015, respectively, Hallym's new initiative focuses on laying a firm foundation to upgrade itself at home and on the international front."

Hallym's collaboration with the Swedish university dates back to February, 2008, when Dr. Dai-won Yoon, Chairman of the Ilsong Educational Foundation, first visited Uppsala University leading a group of Hallym's medical professionals to tap the possibility of launching and promoting academic exchange initiatives. Dr. Kjell Oberg, the then dean of Uppsala's faculty of medicine, responded by visiting Hallym in the spring of 2008 which made the bilateral cooperative relationship between the two institutions gain further steam. Their continued efforts for cooperation finally brought about a tangible and fruitful result --- the first Hallym-Uppsala Symposium in October, 2008, in Seoul.

In May, 2009, a 14-member Hallym delegation headed by Chairman Dai-won Yoon visited Uppsala again for the 2nd joint symposium. The topics the medical experts of both countries covered at Uppsala University included: Recent Clinical Studies on Diabetes Mellitus; Novel Therapeutic Modalities in Colorectal Cancer; Arthritis & Rheumatology from Bench to Bedside; Prevalent Gastroenterologic & Hepatologic Diseases in Sweden & Korea; and New Imaging Techniques of the Cardiovascular System.

By Younghee Han, Int’l Operations Team, HUMC (symposium@hallym.or.kr)