Konkuk University (KU) held a collaboration symposium with the Dept. of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Medicine, on Nov. 19, 2013. A total of six speakers from KU (College of Bioscience and Biotechnology and College of Animal Bioscience and Technology) and JHU (School of Medicine) presented the outcomes of the recently conducted studies in the biology field. Discussion topics included the application of oligonucleotides for drug screening, cofactor-based enzyme mechanism, stem cell research, natural products for medicine, and the future of bioscience. Dr. L. Mario Amzel of JHU, in particular, presented on the most up-to-date structural biology studies that utilized X-ray crystallography, which is important for structure-based drug design. The atomic-resolution structural information of disease-related proteins is significant since it elucidates the related mechanisms and bears important clinical implications. This symposium was regarded as an opportune starting point for collaborative research between the bio-groups at KU and the Dept. of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry at JHU.
Prior to the symposium, on Nov. 18, 2013, KU College of Bioscience and Biotechnology and JHU School of Medicine's Dept. of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry had concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for research collaboration.
Posted by Eun Jin Cho