Im Seong-gi Foundation Announces Call for Candidates for the 2nd 'Im Seong-gi Researcher Award'

by Lee Gwanju

Published 23 Jun.2022 09:46(KST)

Im Seong-gi Foundation Announces Call for Candidates for the 2nd 'Im Seong-gi Researcher Award'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The call for nominations for the 2nd Im Seong-gi Researcher Award, the most prestigious researcher award in Korea for researchers who have achieved highly regarded results in biotechnology and medical research and whose work has beneficial applications in new drug development, will begin next month.

The Im Seong-gi Foundation (Chairman Lee Gwan-soon), established to carry on the philosophy and legacy of the late Im Seong-gi, founder of Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group, announced on the 23rd that it will accept nominations for the 2nd Im Seong-gi Researcher Award, which awards a total prize money of 400 million KRW, from July 1 to August 31.

The Im Seong-gi Researcher Award selects one recipient for the Im Seong-gi Grand Research Award with a prize of 300 million KRW, and two recipients for the Im Seong-gi Young Researcher Award, each with a prize of 50 million KRW. Last year, the first Im Seong-gi Researcher Award Grand Prize was awarded to Dr. Kim In-san of the Bio-Medical Convergence Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), and the Young Researcher Awards were given to Professor Lee Hyuk-jin of Ewha Womans University College of Pharmacy and Professor Joo Young-seok of KAIST Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering.

The eligibility criteria require candidates to be Korean or of Korean descent (including those residing overseas) whose achievements in biotechnology and medical science are highly regarded and have significant potential for beneficial application in new drug development. Eligible papers must be research primarily conducted in Korea and published in professional academic journals within the last 5 years (3 years for the Young Researcher Award) as of the application deadline. Only candidates under the age of 45 may apply for the Young Researcher Award.

The award ceremony will be held in March next year. Lee Gwan-soon, Chairman of the Im Seong-gi Foundation, stated, “This award, established to continue the noble philosophy of Chairman Im Seong-gi who dedicated himself to global new drug development, will serve as a decisive stepping stone for Korea to leap forward as a pharmaceutical powerhouse. We ask many researchers who are passionately devoted to new drug development without being bound by economic logic to participate in the call for nominations.”