World-Renowned Biotechnology Scientists to Meet in Seoul

World-renowned scientists in the biotechnology field will gather in Seoul, Korea for the 2005 Seoul Bio/Medi Symposium which will open at COEX on October 18.

Among them will be Hwang Woo-suk, a chair professor of Seoul National University, Dr. Ian Wilmut, the British creator of the cloned sheep Dolly, and Professor Gerald Schatten, a leading reproductive and developmental scientist.

The symposium, sponsored by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), will review and discuss the current status of stem cell-related research, the future of the biomedical industry, and challenges in the field.

Dr. Ian Wilmut will hold a presentation under the topic regarding the study on embryonic stem cells derived from cloned human embryos and its application treatment, and Professor Gerald Schatten will talk about the epochal opportunity for the development of the biomedical field provided by the Korean research team’s study on human embryonic stem cells.

Robert Goldstein, the head of the U.S. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, will also hold a presentation about the status of the international joint study on stem cells by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Professor Hwang is scheduled to make a special lecture on his study of embryonic stem cells and its application for organ transplants.

Jae-Dong Yu jarrett@donga.com