'Max Planck-Yonsei IBS Center' Opens... Korea and Germany Join Forces in Nanomedicine Research

Max Planck Society and IBS
to Each Provide Up to 500,000 Euros Annually
for the Next 10 Years

A new chapter is opening for basic science research collaboration between Korea and Germany. On July 28, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that the opening ceremony for the 'Max Planck-Yonsei IBS Center,' a joint research center established by the Max Planck Society of Germany, Yonsei University of Korea, and the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), was held at the IBS Building of Yonsei University.

The Max Planck Society (MPG) of Germany was founded in 1948 with the aim of conducting the highest level of basic research for humanity. It has produced three Nobel laureates and is recognized as a world-leading institution in basic science research. In addition to its 84 research institutes (MPI) in Germany, it also operates overseas research institutes and international centers, leading global cooperation in basic science. In particular, the Max Planck International Centers serve as research cooperation hubs where the Max Planck Society selects and supports international joint research with leading partner institutions worldwide. Currently, 18 centers in 10 countries are in operation around the world.

The newly established 'Max Planck-Yonsei IBS Center' is a research center where the leading basic science institutions of Korea and Germany collaborate equally. Its goal is to develop next-generation nanomedicine source technology that enables precise and non-invasive (non-incisional, non-insertive) control of deep tissues or cells within the body.

For joint research at the center, the Max Planck Society and IBS each plan to provide up to 500,000 euros (approximately 800 million Korean won) per year for up to 10 years (5+5 years). The Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior in Germany, together with the IBS Center for Nanomedicine in Korea, will jointly operate the center. Yonsei University Health System will participate and contribute to the research, including clinical applications.

Jung Taekryul, Acting Director-General for R&D Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "We hope that the official launch of the Max Planck-IBS Center will become an advanced model for international cooperation in basic science," and added, "We look forward to the creation of world-class research achievements, the enhancement of friendship between the two countries, and ultimately, a new milestone that contributes to the common prosperity of humanity."