South Korea is accelerating global scientific collaboration by partnering with prestigious research institutions worldwide, including Germany's Max Planck Society and the University of Cambridge in the UK. The aim is to expand comprehensive research cooperation from basic to advanced levels to challenge the 'highest level of basic science' research achievements.

The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) announced on the 31st that it has decided to operate the 'IBS Global Partner Lab' for promoting international joint research with the University of Cambridge and has established a local collaborative research lab within the university. The IBS Global Partner Lab is a project to establish and operate local research labs, which are satellite research labs of IBS, within world-renowned basic science research institutions. It was launched this year to strengthen IBS's international cooperation in basic science. Earlier, on the 28th of last month, IBS also opened the 'Max Planck-Yonsei IBS Nano Medicine Center (Yonsei IBS Center)' at the IBS building at Yonsei University in Seoul, a joint research center with the Max Planck Society (MPG) and Yonsei University.

● Aiming to Control Cancer Cells Inside the Body from Outside Using Magnetic Fields

The University of Cambridge and the Max Planck Society, known as the 'cradle of Nobel laureates,' are at the forefront of global scientific research. The University of Cambridge has produced 125 Nobel laureates, and the Max Planck Society has produced 39. The Max Planck Society operates research institutes in Germany and overseas research institutes in four countries, including the USA, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, and supports 18 International Max Planck Centers in 11 countries worldwide.

The Yonsei IBS Center is the second International Max Planck Center established in Asia, following Japan. This signifies that the Max Planck Society recognizes Korea as a world-class scientific partner. The Yonsei IBS Center aims to develop next-generation nano-medicine core technologies that can precisely control deep tissues or cells in the body non-invasively, such as non-incision and non-insertion methods. Joachim Spatz, Director of the MPI for Medical Research, and Jinwoo Cheon, Director of the IBS Nano Medicine Research Group (Professor of Chemistry at Yonsei University), will serve as co-directors. The MPI for Medical Research, MPI for Neurobiology of Behavior, and IBS Nano Medicine Research Group will jointly operate the center, with Yonsei University Health System collaborating on clinical applications.

IBS has been actively working since last year to establish the Yonsei IBS Center and the IBS Global Partner Lab. It identified the need to increase sustainable international joint research at the institutional level and selected research groups capable of achieving top-level international joint research outcomes. When Patrick Kramer, President of the Max Planck Society, visited Korea for the first time last year, IBS held the 'Global Science Leader Forum' with Yonsei University and introduced the IBS Nano Medicine Research Group in detail. At that time, the intention to host the center was shared with President Kramer. Subsequently, the IBS Nano Medicine Research Group, MPI for Medical Research, and MPI for Neurobiology of Behavior held workshops in Korea and Germany to continue research collaboration.

Director Cheon stated, "IBS applied for the International Max Planck Center competition targeting Asia last November, and it was finally selected in April this year," adding, "The center was established at the fastest pace ever." Director Cheon further stated, "The Max Planck Society recognized the IBS Nano Medicine Research Group as world-class in the field of nanorobots and actively cooperated in hosting the center."

Director Cheon has unique technological prowess in this field, having developed the world's first nanorobot 1/50th the size of a red blood cell last year. He stated, "Securing technology to treat brain diseases and cancer at the nano level, non-invasively, without drug administration or incision, is the greatest challenge in modern science," and explained, "The Yonsei IBS Center will conduct research to solve this challenge by sharing equipment, personnel, and space between Korean and German researchers for constant collaboration."

Director Cheon stated, "We plan to develop technology that overcomes the limitations of existing cancer treatments, which attack normal cells, by using magnetic stimulation to move nanorobots to selectively target and treat specific cells." He also plans to apply the concept of 'Physical AI' to give nanorobots learning and control functions. Physical AI refers to a concept where AI physically performs tasks that humans can do, beyond simple data processing.

About 200 researchers from MPI and IBS plan to conduct joint research by traveling between the two countries. Approximately 15 MPI researchers will work full-time at the Yonsei IBS Center. Director Cheon stated, "We plan to expand the number of full-time researchers to 20-30 within 2 to 3 years."

● Partnership with World-Class Research Institutions, the 'Cradle of Nobel Laureates'

The Cambridge IBS Global Partner Lab is a space where the IBS Research Group on Two-Dimensional Quantum Heterostructures collaborates with the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge Graphene Centre, and Cambridge Henry Royce Institute at the University of Cambridge. Two-dimensional quantum heterostructures are quantum structures made by stacking ultra-thin two-dimensional materials with different properties, used in new electronic, photonic, and quantum devices for next-generation semiconductors and quantum computing.

The IBS Research Group on Two-Dimensional Quantum Heterostructures has strengths in two-dimensional quantum material and heterostructure growth technology, while the University of Cambridge excels in quantum sensing technology and 'precision qubit measurement and control technology,' which reads the state of 'qubits,' the basic unit of quantum computers. It is known that a professor from the University of Cambridge visited to evaluate the selection of the IBS Research Group on Two-Dimensional Quantum Heterostructures in 2023 and was impressed by the research level, proposing research collaboration first.

Noh Do-young, President of IBS, stated, "IBS can contribute to the advancement of basic science and the nurturing of future research leaders by creating synergy with the University of Cambridge, which possesses world-class research capabilities."

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