Following COVID-19 Vaccines, Dementia Too... Accelerating Korea-US Joint Research as Part of 'Moon's US Visit Achievements'

Dementia Research Project Team "Research Outcomes Expected Using US Data"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The Ministry of Science and ICT is actively pursuing joint research on dementia treatment technology as a priority through the bio-sector cooperation agreed upon at the recent Korea-US summit. On the 21st (Korean time), President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden agreed to strengthen partnerships in emerging technology fields such as bio technology during their summit.

On the morning of the 28th, Yong Hong-taek, the 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, visited the Dementia Overcoming Research and Development Project Group to discuss efficient Korea-US joint research methods and listen to difficulties. The government has been investing 198.7 billion KRW (169.4 billion KRW in national funds) over nine years since last year in the dementia overcoming research and development project, aiming to reduce the dementia patient growth rate by 50% and achieve a 5% global market share of dementia overcoming technology. To this end, the Dementia Research Project Group was launched in August last year and is currently focusing on 24 research and development tasks. Within eight months of activity, the Dementia Research Project Group has begun to show results, such as publishing research findings that reveal the link of causative proteins of Alzheimer’s dementia in the international academic journal ‘Progress in Neurobiology (IF 10.64).’

However, as Korea is a latecomer in dementia research, cooperation with leading countries was urgently needed. Building on President Moon’s achievements during his visit to the US, the Dementia Research Project Group has decided to promote joint precision medicine research based on dementia big data with the US National Institute on Aging (NIA). It will also participate in the Dominantly Inherited AD Network (DIAN).

Currently, detailed cooperation plans are under discussion, and the Dementia Research Project Group is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with DIAN and NIA as early as next month and begin full-scale research cooperation from the second half of the year.

The Dementia Research Project Group expects to enhance research outcomes such as identifying dementia risk factors, discovering protective factors, and developing biomarker diagnostic technologies by utilizing various dementia patient data held by NIA. It is also anticipated to emerge as a leading country in dementia research that can contribute to the international dementia research network.

Vice Minister Yong Hong-taek said, “I ask you to not only focus on this cooperative project but also to discover new topics and strengthen cooperative research with the US,” adding, “We will actively support joint research with the US to overcome dementia.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.