AMC to take the lead in human-centered convergence technology through a research-driven hospital project
AMC is embarking on a nine-year long project starting July 1 after being selected a lead organization for the concerned R&D promotion project of the research-driven hospital. The project, entitled “human-centered convergence technology”, has been proposed by the Asan Institute for Life Sciences. The proposed technology is regarded as crucial in significantly improving communication between patients and healthcare providers. For this project, AMC will receive grants amounting to a total of 22.5 billion won for R&D, with a supply of 2.5 billion won each year. The Ministry of Health and Welfare is working towards supporting projects in research-driven hospitals, in order to facilitate the commercialization of technology and hospital-driven open convergent research infrastructure building. To this end, Asan Medical Center (AMC), Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), and Severance Hospital of Yonsei University Health System have been selected as lead organizations. The designation is particularly significant in that the number of members on the evaluation panel has been increased to enhance the level of expertise and fairness, and excellent evaluation board system was implemented as a pilot program. The photo shows Prof. Choi Jae-sun of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Prof. Oh Ji-sun of the Department of Convergence Medicine, Special Medical Scientist Seong Yoo-seob of the Department of Radiology, Prof. Kim Kyu-pyo of the Department of Oncology, Head of R&D Project Kang Dong-wha, Prof. Lee Eun-jae of the Department of Neurology, Research Planning and Management Director Cho You-sook, Clinical Instructor Yoon Shin-gyo of the Department of Oncology, and Chairman of Asan Institute for Life Sciences Kim Chong-jai (from left to right) celebrating the selection of the project of research-driven hospital project proposed by AMC in front of the Convergence Innovation Building on June 25.
AMC will receive funding worth 22.5 billion won for nine years from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Patients want to be provided with a full explanation of their illness. However, healthcare providers do not have sufficient time to supply detailed clinical information to numerous patients. There is a way of overcoming this limitation: Human-centered Convergence Technology (HCT), which links people. Before long, HCT is expected to become a core technology that will aid communication between patients and healthcare providers in a hyperconnected world.
AMC has recently been designated as a lead organization in the R&D promotion project of the research-driven hospital, and it will soon undertake the R&D project of HCT for nine years stating from July 1, with the support of government grants worth 22.5 billion won. The final objective is to “create and promote the new industry of human-centered convergence technology based on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).” To this end, AMC has revealed its ambition to create a new industrial ecosystem based on ▲early precision diagnosis technologies ▲integrated customized information ▲human-centered communication technology, and ▲comprehensive treatment and care through the establishment of the SMART Neu-Bot platform for precision medicine of brain diseases (Parkinson’s disease, dementia, stroke, depression, and so on) and the SMART Cancer Care-Bot platform for precision medicine of cancers (colorectal cancer, lung cancer, among others).
The project that will lead AMC’s convergence research will be undertaken by Head of R&D Project Kang Dong-wha (Prof. of the Dept. of Neurology) as the principal researcher. Director of Clinical Research Center Kim Tae-won (Prof. of the Dept. of Oncology), Research Planning and Management Director Cho You-sook (Prof. of Dept. of Allergy), Prof. Oh Seung-jun of the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Prof. Choi Jae-sun of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Prof. Kim Nam-kug of the Department of Convergence Medicine will assume the responsibility for the creation of subprograms and modules. As AMC has formed a consortium with Chonbuk National University Hospital, which is a non-research-driven hospital, in order to enhance the research capability of local hospitals, Prof. Chung Young-chul of the Department of Psychiatry (Director of Biomedical Research Center) will join the project as the head of subprogram. Additionally, researchers from the University of Ulsan College of Medicine, GangNeung Asan Hospital, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Wonkwang University Hospital, Osong Medical Innovation Foundation, and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) will participate in joint research programs.
The chairman of Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Kim Chong-jai, has stated, “After worrying about how to reflect our philosophy that meets the trend of ‘the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ and seeks for human-centered values, we proposed a new topic of ‘human-centered convergence technology.’ While preparing for this project, we realized that AMC’s researchers are equipped with excellent capabilities and anticipate their competitiveness to be further improved through this project.”
The head of R&D project, Kang Dong-wha, has said, “We try to build the HCT ecosystem that realizes living health for communication and safety by developing future interactive medical devices and smart clinic that interconnects patients, health care providers, robot devices, virtual augmented reality (AR), big data, and artificial intelligence (AI). Korea’s medicine has reached world-class levels in clinical and research capabilities, yet is merely in its infancy in technology commercialization compared to advanced countries. The Asan HCT Promotion Project Team will build ability to continue these projects even after the 9-year government support by developing and commercializing medical devices and services that will improve close communication between patients and medical staff.”
The president and CEO of AMC, Lee Sang-do, has given an encouraging message, “I congratulate that we won the project after intense competition among research-driven hospitals. Expectations are high for the project aimed to create future smart clinic model and global technology commercialization. I promise full support for the project to be succeeded.”
AMC is undertaking a project for nine years starting July 1, after being selected as a lead organization for the R&D promotion project of the research-driven hospital for 2018. The photo shows the researchers in a lively discussion prior to project initiation on June 25.
