Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital

The following is a full-text of the opening address by Dr. Hae-Ran Lee, President of Hallym University Medical Center(HUMC), at the 3rd Hallym-Uppsala International Symposium held on May 4, 2010, at COEX, Seoul. The academic meeting was jointly organized by HUMC and Uppsala University of Sweden:-Ed.

Chairman Yoon, President Hallberg, Professor Oberg, President Lee, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am honored and privileged to be here with you to open the third Hallym-Uppsala International Symposium. On behalf of Hallym, I would like to thank all the participants for your presence today. Taking this opportunity, I also extend my sincere appreciation to Uppsala delegates for their generosity to accept our invitation to this meaningful occasion.

Since its inauguration in 1971, Hallym has been striving to become "Small but Great," and as a result, it has grown to be one of the leading medical institutions in Korea.

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.

Such achievements 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.
Uppsala University, which enjoys time-honored tradition and history of 530 years since its establishment in 1477, is the very role model that 38-year-old Hallym has always dreamed of.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to President Hallberg and Professor Oberg for their devotion and commitment to help us meet here today.

Despite a short history of bilateral collaboration, we have covered a wide range of issues. We have exchanged various opinions on cancer, endocrine disorders, cardiovascular diseases, degenerative diseases, and rheumatism, which are mostly related to aging society.

Here at the third symposium, we have agreed to deal with further specific issues of medicine, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine focusing on burn, artificial skin, and substitutes.

Today's aging society witnesses a human life span of over 100, thanks to advancement in medicine. We will possibly be living in a world with a six-million-dollar man armed with artificial organs.
This is simply unbelievable and exciting the world would be!

What makes this symposium more meaningful is that the presence of Korean experts on tissue engineering and biotechnology at universities and research centers, including professor Sung-Kee Chung, former president of Pohang University of Science and Technology, and professor Young Hwan Park of Biosystems and Biomaterials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University.

Thank you all again for your participation today, and I am pleased to have this opportunity for lively discussions on cutting-edge medical technologies.

My gratitude also goes to the people in the media for their interest in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. I might add that delivering hope for health is also very important.

In my capacity as president of HUMC, I would like to extend my thanks to president Hallberg, Dr. Oberg, Dr. Larsson, Dr. Gerdin, Professor Chung, and Korean speakers.

Renewing my gratitude to organizers for their meticulous preparations for this event, I wish this meeting will be another big success.

Thank you.