Conference in South Korea launches the GloPID-R Asia Pacific Regional Hub
On November 9-10, 2022, the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (NRF/KRIBB) held a cornerstone conference, under the leadership of Dr. Choong-Min Ryu and his team, for the future GloPID-R Asia Pacific Hub. More than 40 participants attended in person, with many more taking part remotely.
The conference began with a general introduction of the raison d’être, the values and the objectives of GloPID-R. In collaboration with the GloPID-R Central Secretariat, KRIBB has invested a great deal of work in this major step for the implementation of the Asia Pacific Regional Hub. The contributions of the LMICs Working Group were also presented.
“Today’s conference has the great significance of informing the establishment of a cooperation system for research on infectious diseases in the Asia Pacific region and discussing future cooperation plans.”
Minister Lee Jong-Ho, Minister of Science and ICT of Korea
The conference proceeded with a focus on the emerging infectious disease research funding landscape. The results of the “mapping and survey” process undertaken to build the Asia Pacific Hub were presented to attendees. Representatives of countries in the region (Japan, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia) as well as consortia and collaborative networks were invited to share their experiences of funding infectious disease research before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This new Asia Pacific chapter of GloPID-R is very welcomed by WHO. Global organizations need to ensure that partners work together, accompany the science and establish flexible mechanisms to respond to crises when they emerge.”
Dr. Ana Maria Henao Restrepo, Head of the R&D Blueprint, World Health Organization
A wide range of projects and networks to prevent, prepare and respond to emerging infectious disease outbreaks were presented, illustrating the extremely rich research landscape in the region. Acknowledging the current state of research is key for the future development of the hub. Participants identified numerous topics for further discussion, such as establishing regional research priorities, building R&D networks, and collaborative clinical trial platforms. These key issues will be addressed in the coming years by regional stakeholders working together within the GloPID-R Asia Pacific Hub.
“The APIS kick-off conference is a small step that will represent a giant leap to preventing epidemics and pandemics in the Asia Pacific region.”
Dr. Doo-Byoung Oh, Director General of National Research Foundation of Korea
