KAIST

< Bird’s-Eye View of KAIST BioSquare >

KAIST is embarking on a full-scale journey in Osong, Chungcheongbuk-do, to leap forward as a world-class bio-medical hub.

The university announced that it will hold the opening ceremony for ‘KAIST Bio Square’ on the 6th at the Chungbuk Cosmetic Clinical Research Support Center, in collaboration with Chungcheongbuk-do Province and Cheongju City.

KAIST Bio Square is a core hub for the creation of 'K-Bio Square' and serves as a convergence research and education platform that breaks down the boundaries between various disciplines such as AI, physics, and mechanical engineering, centered on bio-technology. Using this as a strategic outpost, KAIST plans to establish a cooperation system with Seoul National University Hospital, Chungbuk National University Hospital, the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, and the Osong Medical Innovation Foundation to create innovative achievements in the field of R&D for aging, including the development of treatments for Parkinson's disease and medical devices.

Furthermore, it plans to attract startups that will lead innovation in the future bio-industry and develop the related industrial ecosystem, while fostering it as a bio-entrepreneurship outpost that concentrates KAIST's startup capabilities, which produce 120 venture companies annually.

The opening ceremony will be attended by major figures from industry, academia, research, and hospitals, including Young Hwan Kim, Governor of Chungcheongbuk-do; Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST; Yeon Hee Lee, Member of the National Assembly; Daesoo Kim, Dean of the KAIST College of Life Science and Bioengineering; Yong Jin Kim, Vice President of Research at Seoul National University Hospital; Sang Bae Han, Dean of the College of Pharmacy at Chungbuk National University; Kyu Sun Lee, Head of the Research Division at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology; and Myung Soo Lee, Chairman of the Osong Medical Innovation Foundation.

The building where KAIST Bio Square is located (formerly the Chungbuk Cosmetic Clinical Research Support Center) consists of one basement level and three floors above ground, with the first floor currently being used as a seminar room and networking space. Starting in June, the entire building will be remodeled to create a state-of-the-art research and education space equipped with lecture rooms, faculty research offices, graduate department offices, and open labs.

Young Hwan Kim, Governor of Chungcheongbuk-do, stated, “K-Bio Square consists of three major pillars: the KAIST Osong Bio-Medical Campus Town, the Seoul National University Hospital R&D Clinical Hospital, and R&D involving the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology and the Osong Medical Innovation Foundation. KAIST Bio Square will be the strategic base for realizing this.” He added, “I am grateful to KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee and Dean Daesoo Kim of the College of Life Science and Bioengineering for their major decision.”

Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, remarked, “K-Bio Square is an important project being promoted as part of the national bio-strategy and mid-to-long-term national tasks.” He stated, “We will focus all of KAIST’s capabilities to ensure that the Osong Bio-Medical Campus Town can settle in early.” He also plans to propose cooperation measures for future medical innovation, such as the establishment of an AI healthcare graduate school with Seoul National University Hospital and Chungbuk National University Hospital, and the joint development of physician-scientist training programs.

Daesoo Kim, Dean of the KAIST College of Life Science and Bioengineering, said, “This opening is a practical fruition of the open innovation strategies that KAIST has been pursuing, such as R&D planning, the attraction of global bio-labs, and joint responses to innovative regulation-free zones.” He added, “We will lead drug development and brain/anti-aging research here to create an AI-bio innovation ecosystem where industry, academia, research, and hospitals coexist.”