Developing new medicines increasingly depends on close collaboration between academia and industry. To strengthen those partnerships, UNIST hosted a symposium on June 19 exploring how universities, biotechnology startups, and pharmaceutical companies can work together to accelerate drug discovery.

Hosted under the theme ' Innovation Through Collaboration ,' the symposium brought together faculty members from UNIST and key representatives from Hanlim Pharmaceutical, Sangmyung Innovation, Mothers Pharmaceutical, InsPharmTech, and SmartinBio. The event opened with welcome remarks from UNIST Vice President Hyun Sil Ahn of Research Affairs and congratulatory remarks from Jin Ha Park, Executive Vice President of Hanlim Pharmaceutical and CEO of Sangmyung Innovation.  

Presentations covered a wide range of emerging therapeutic technologies, including broad-spectrum antiviral therapies, targets for inflammatory aging, treatments for retinal diseases, ocular disease models, advanced drug delivery systems, and mitochondria-targeted therapeutics.

Beyond highlighting scientific advances, discussions focused on how universities, startups, and established pharmaceutical companies can better combine their respective strengths in research, development, and commercialization. Participants explored ways to accelerate the translation of promising discoveries into new medicines while expanding opportunities for collaborative research.

The symposium also highlighted the growing role of UNIST-based biotechnology startups in the regional biohealth sector. By working alongside established pharmaceutical companies, early-stage ventures can gain access to development expertise, commercialization pathways, and collaborative research opportunities that support long-term growth.

“Drug discovery has become too complex for any single institution or company to tackle alone,” said Professor Jang Hyun Choi, Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, who also directs UNIST's new drug bio research center. “Innovation happens when universities and industry combine their respective strengths in research and commercialization. We hope this symposium serves as a catalyst for new partnerships that accelerate drug discovery and strengthen Korea’s biopharmaceutical sector.”

The symposium was jointly organized by the Department of Biological Sciences and UNIST's new drug bio research center, with support from SmartinBio and Hanlim Pharmaceutical.