KU Presents a World of Magic Through KU-MAGIC ONE

Biomedical R&D Complex Opens on Jeongneung Campus 

▲ Baik Lin Eun, Vice President for Medical Research at Korea University Guro Hospital; Byunghyun Yoo, Vice President for Development and External Affairs; Dong-One Kim, Dean of the Korea University Business School; Kwangsa Yoo, Director of the Dr. Yoo Women’s Hospital (former president of Korea University Medical Alumni); Woo Kyung Kim, President and CEO of the Korea University Medical Center; Namho Lee, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs of Korea University; Jaeho Yeom, President of Korea University; Cheong Hee Kang, Vice President of the Korea Medical Association; Jeongmuk Kim, former president of the Korea University Medical Alumni; Jaejeong Kim, Honorary President of the Korea Medical Association (former president of the Korea University Medical Alumni); Kevin Grimes, Program Director of the SPARK Program at Stanford University; Hyungdo Choi, Managing Director of Samil PwC. (left to right from front row)

On the KU Jeongneung Campus on September 4, Korea University held the launching ceremony for KU-MAGIC, the program is expected to emerge as a leading global complex in biomedical research, innovation, and commercialization.  

KU-MAGIC, which stands for Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center, is a major project spanning a variety of fields including medicine, research, development, global networking, government programs, and commercialization. 

Professor Kevin Grimes of Stanford University, who also holds the position of director of the renowned SPARK program, shared his experiences at the launching ceremony. 

* Stanford SPARK: A partnership program between Stanford University and biomedical institutes for education, research, and innovation

The Jeongneung Campus, home to the College of Health Science, will grow into an advanced medical science center with the launch of KU-MAGIC PROJECT ONE. To be launched in 2016, KU-MAGIC PROJECT ZERO aims to establish a cutting-edge interdisciplinary medical center that encompasses the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, Medical School, College of Health Science, and Anam Hospital. 

Korea University Medical Center is recognized as an outstanding research-oriented hospital (Anam, Guro). Together with the Medical School, College of Life Sciences, College of Science, College of Nursing and College of Pharmacy, the Medical Center boasts a strong research capacity in all biomedical fields. The KU-MAGIC project seeks to deliver results based on interdisciplinary studies among the various colleges and departments. In addition, strategic ties will be formed with foreign biomedical research institutes including King’s College and Singapore’s A-STAR. 

The key themes to be covered under KU-MAGIC are as follows: ▲① Based on Korea University’s past achievements, a multidisciplinary system will be established in the field of virus and contagious disease. ▲② An open platform will be created for advanced medical devices and innovative devices will be developed through IT/BT convergence. ▲③ For customized medical services, research will be conducted on genomes/proteomes to drive advancements in cancer treatment. ▲④ Under the field of smart aging, R&I of medical technology will contribute to the development of food and drugs for sustainable, healthy lives. 

KU-MAGIC is expected to create new, added value through the establishment of a global biomedical platform based on intensive research, the development of medical devices, and serving as a practical think tank for the nation. 

Furthermore, KU-MAGIC will stimulate economic growth and social developments by launching KU-MAGIC Co., Ltd. to support start-up companies and create new jobs. 

Reporter: Minkyung Seo, Communications Team (smk920@korea.ac.kr)

Photographer: Nayoon Kim, Communications Team (nayoonkim@korea.ac.kr)