Sookmyung Women’s University signed an MOU with the University of Massachusetts Medical School
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2022-11-29
The Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Sookmyung Women’s University and the Horae Gene Therapy Center (HGTC) of University of Massachusetts Medical School signed an MOU for academic and research exchanges in the field of pharmacy.
President Yunkeum Chang visited the University of Massachusetts (hereinafter UMASS) Medical School in the United States on October 18 (Tue/Korea time) and signed an MOU with Guangping Gao, director of the UMASS HGTC, and agreed on promoting joint researches between the two organizations, including the development of gene therapy.
President Yunkeum Chang and UMASS HGTC Director Guangping Gao are taking a commemorative photo after signing the MOU.
UMASS Medical School has the world＇s best research competitiveness in genetic therapy research, which is a next- generation treatment for musculoskeletal diseases. In particular, HGTC is regarded as having unrivaled capabilities in developing gene therapeutics for intractable diseases. Professor Gao, who is currently the director of the center, is an authority on the gene therapy carrier AAV (adeno-associated virus), which has recently attracted attention in the field of COVID-19 vaccine development.
Gene therapy is a self-derived personalized treatment in which therapeutics are created based on the patient＇s individual immune cells. Recently, the field has been evaluated as a core future technology where the global pharmaceutical/bio industries are strategically investing large-scale financial resources, but there are no universities in Korea that provide gene therapy education.
In accordance with this MOU, the two organizations agreed to promote ▲ human resource exchange for joint research and education, ▲ academic exchange on fields of mutual interest, ▲ joint research in the field of industry-academic cooperation, hosting of international conferences and seminars, ▲ and implementation of short-term exchange programs during school vacations.
Accordingly, Sookmyung Women’s University has been discussing cooperation plans with UMASS Medical School since the second half of 2020 to become the first leader in research and development of gene therapy in Korea, with the aim of cultivating professional human resources and technology.
In addition, there are plans to establish a school enterprise on campus that combines the technology of UMASS Medical School with the manpower and capital of Sookmyung Women’s University to hold patents in related fields and develop therapeutics, and promote the establishment of a local company in the United States in the future.
President Yunkeum Chang and Dean of UMASS Medical School, Terence R. Flotte, are taking a commemorative photo.
President Yunkeum Chang said, “I hope that the research institute of Sookmyung Women’s University, which has strengths in research in the fields of women＇s diseases and biotechnology, and HGTC, which has excellent genetic and postural therapy technology, can work together to develop new research fields and establish a more advanced cooperative relationship between Sookmyung Women’s University and UMASS Medical School.”