Microscope Researchers from Around the World Gather in Busan!

September 10-15 at BEXCO, '20th International Microscopy Congress (IMC20)' Held

South Korea's First Hosting of the World's Largest International Conference in Microscopy

Free Public Lectures by 3 Nobel Laureates at BEXCO on September 13, 2 P

The 20th General Assembly of the International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (IFSM), the world's largest international conference in the field of microscopy, will be held for the first time in South Korea at BEXCO from September 10 to 15 for six days.

Official Poster of IMC20.

The World Congress on Microscopy is an event held every four years where researchers from around the world in the field of microscopy, a representative imaging analysis equipment, gather to share the latest research results and technological trends using microscopes. This time, the congress will be held in September this year, delayed by one year due to COVID-19.

After two attempts, Busan was finally selected as the host city for the 20th General Assembly, beating out the United States (Portland), the Netherlands (Maastricht), Spain (Madrid), and South Africa (Cape Town). It is the second time the event is held in Asia, following Japan (which has hosted three times).

This General Assembly, themed "Scientific Innovation and Convergence through Microscopy Platforms," is scheduled to feature over 1,500 academic presentations across 200 sessions. An industrial exhibition will also be held, where more than 80 companies worldwide will share the latest microscopy trends and introduce their advanced products and technologies.

Approximately 2,500 participants, including company representatives and researchers from 70 countries, are expected to attend.

Additionally, Nobel laureates will visit Busan during the congress: Professor Konstantin Novoselov of the National University of Singapore (2010 Nobel Prize in Physics), Professor Richard Henderson of the University of Cambridge, UK (2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry), and Professor Joachim Frank of Columbia University, USA (2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry).

▲ Konstantin Novoselov (Professor, National University of Singapore): Discoverer of graphene, known as the "dream nanomaterial" ▲ Richard Henderson (Professor, University of Cambridge) & Joachim Frank (Professor, Columbia University): Co-developers of cryo-electron microscopy, which allows observation of biomolecular structures at the atomic level

They will give a public lecture titled "The Path to Becoming a Scientist as Told by Nobel Laureates" at 2 p.m. on September 13 at the BEXCO Auditorium.

Nobel Laureate Public Lecture Poster.

This lecture is expected to foster empathy for science and technology, motivate, and inspire future scientists, including middle and high school students, undergraduates, and graduate students.

The public lecture is free of charge, and anyone can participate by pre-registering.

Pre-registration can be done by accessing the QR code on the event poster and submitting the application form or by calling the secretariat.

Mayor Park Hyung-jun stated, "This General Assembly will be a great opportunity for microscopy researchers from around the world visiting Busan to experience the city's charm," adding, "We will provide maximum support to ensure a successful congress and properly showcase Busan's capabilities as a candidate city for the 2030 World Expo."

Microscopes began simply as tools for observing microorganisms but have evolved beyond observing nanoscale fine materials. Today, they are essential imaging equipment in various research and industrial fields such as life sciences, medicine, materials science, and nanotechnology.

In particular, electron microscopes have become indispensable research equipment for new drug and therapeutic development, electric vehicle and semiconductor industries. The equipment that contributed to vaccine development by revealing the structure of COVID-19 was the "cryo-transmission electron microscope."

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