In order to deepen their cooperation, the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) and the South Korean biopharmaceutical business Research and Development of Eyegene Inc. have reached an agreement in principle to establish a production facility for preventative vaccines in Pakistan. This agreement was made at a meeting between Vice Chancellor of NUMS Lt. Gen. Wasim Alamgir Hilal-e Imtiaz (Military), and Head of the Research and Development (R&D) Center of Eyegene Inc. Dr. Seo-Hyun Kim, and their teams, according to information available with WealthPK.

Prof. Dr. H. Christian Hong, Chief Scientific Officer of Renhain Therapeutics, gave a comprehensive briefing to the Vice-Chancellor during his visit to the R&D Center. At the facility, he met researchers and scientists who are working on the creation of additional vaccines and mRNA. The conduct of clinical trials for various therapeutic vaccines for the mutual benefit of the two countries was another possible area of cooperation that was also highlighted by both parties.

Prior to this, NUMS collaborated with the South Korean International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the School of Medicine Gachon University to create vaccines locally by transferring technology and enhancing the skills of Pakistani scientists.During his visit to South Korea, Lt. Gen. Wasim Alamgir met separately with Dr. Jerome H. Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) South Korea, and with Kee-Jong Hong, PhD, Director General and Prof. School of Medicine of Gachon University. During these meetings, a collaboration in this area was agreed upon.

Both parties agreed to work together to create capacity in areas including technology transfer for vaccine research and on-site training for a group of Pakistani experts. Dr. Jerome H. Kim received the NUMS shield from the vice chancellor, who was also joined by the dean of the NUMS Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, Dr. Prof. Aisha Mohyuddin, and consultant Jaweed Akhtar for strategic planning and development.

The two sides agreed to transfer technology for mRNA vaccines and vaccines for emerging diseases and to accept more scientists from NUMS for training in the aforementioned technologies during his meeting with Kee-Jong Hong, PhD, Director General and Prof. School of Medicine of Gachon University (South Korea).

Meanwhile, at a ceremony in Mostar (Sarajevo) held earlier this week, NUMS and the University of Mostar of Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a Document of Understanding (DOC) to advance academic collaboration and scientific research.During a previous trip to Bosnia, Lt Gen Wasim Alamgir HI(M), Vice Chancellor NUMS, and Prof. Zoran Tomic, Rector of the Bosnian and Herzegovina University of MOSTAR(SUM), signed the DOU.

Maj Gen Akhtar Jamil Rao HI (M) (Retd), Pakistan's ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dean of NUMS Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies Dr. Prof. Aisha Mohyuddin, and Dr. Lalarukh, Consultant of Clinical Trial Unit (CTU), were also present."The areas and matters of reciprocal cooperation as well as the forms and manners of its implementation" were envisioned in the DOU.

According to the DOU, each university may select a staff member to take part in the staff exchange "with the intention of studying or lecturing at the other university, on a reciprocal basis." Both sides agreed to call professors from the other university for giving lectures or consultations for a certain period or choose one or more of their employees for mutual visits for improving the study or research in their respective institutions. According to the DOU, the universities will exchange students in the relevant fields of study, whether they are undergraduate or graduate students.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk